The Seven Deadly Sins
by chaostition
Summary: Nothing to live for... Nothing to remember... That's what she was... Nothing.... Rated T for violence, language, alcohol, and "Sinful Behavior." My first real drama fic so I'll appreciate criticism.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot, Xistum's weapons, and Tsumi/ Xistum (Tsumi is pronounced soo-me and Xistum--Zis-tum kinda like system). This is my first "real" drama fic, pun intended, so I'll willingly accept any constructive criticism, even though I really want praise instead. Hope you like!

_**Chapter 1**_

* * *

He kept glancing from his computer to the machine. Something wasn't right with this one. His scan was showing nothing, not even remnants of a heart. Vexen's mind raced with thoughts of this Nobody's origin... The rest of the organization had a heart at some point… He stared at the figure, dressed in a standard issue organization cloak, hood hiding its face, floating in a sleep pod. He couldn't figure it out. How was she born? From something into nothing…

He felt the portal open and heard the footsteps, yet he did not look away. A gloved hand picked up a clipboard from the desk. "So what are the results?" the Superior asked.

Still staring at the cloaked figure, Vexen replied, "Like the rest of us, no heart, but…" He trailed off deep in thought.

Xemnas tapped his foot impatiently, "But?"

Vexen snapped back to reality, "She never had a heart in the first place. She doesn't have a corresponding Heartless. Yet, she lived among the Somebodies thinking she was one of them."

The Superior nodded, "What about that head injury she had?"

Vexen frowned, "It's pretty bad, sir. I think it may be a Grade 3 Concussion. It was hard to keep her focused before she blacked out. I was able to stabilize her, and put her in the pod."

Xemnas held his pen at the ready, "Did you get a name out of her?"

"I tried," Vexen said, "but the only thing she said was very slurred. It sounded like Tsumi, though."

Xemnas wrote down the name and smiled wondering what they would get from this one...

He added an x under her name and made her anagram. He always had a knack for those when he was younger. He set down his pen and looked at the girl's new name: Xistum. He put down the clipboard and stared at the new member of Organization XIII, floating peacefully with wisps of lilac hair coming from under her hood.

"Notify me when she awakens," Xemnas said to Number IV as he left.

* * *

Hours later, the Superior was sound asleep in his bed, (alone mind you) when a frantic Vexen nearly knocked down his door. "Come in," Xemnas said groggily as he pulled the sheets over his head.

When he saw who it was he sat straight up in bed, "Number IV, its 3 A.M. What do you possibly want?"

Vexen stated, "The girl, sir. She's beginning to wake up."

Xemnas jumped out of bed and began to get dressed. As he was putting on his boots, he looked at Vexen, "Did you leave her alone?"

Vexen's expression changed as he said, "Oh, fu-"

"GO!!" Xemnas bellowed, "I'll catch up!" Vexen rushed down to the lab.

Xemnas ran out of his room, his other boot in hand and his cloak rested haphazardly on his shoulders, unzipped. He winced as he slammed the door a little too hard. He leaned against the wall and put on his other boot.

Number II opened his door, lacking his usual laid back attitude, "What's going on?"

Xemnas growled back at him, "Go back to sleep." Xemnas ran down the hall, his still unzipped cloak flowing behind him.

* * *

At the bottom of the stairs in front of Vexen's lab, Xemnas fixed his boot. It had been bothering him all the way there. He finally zipped up his cloak before entering.

Vexen was helping her to the exam table, but she kept on pushing him away insisting that she could do it herself. Xemnas slowly walked to the girl. She took one, two, three--, nope she fell.

Xemnas motioned for Vexen to back off. He reached down for her arm. He clutched the arm only to be pushed away. He stood up straight and watched Xistum slowly, and shakily stand up.

She took a few steps and fell to her knees, bumping into a table and knocking over empty test tubes that shattered on the floor. Vexen cringed.

She clawed up onto the exam table, huffing and held her hooded head in her hands.

Xemnas looked within the void of the hood, "Do you remember your true name?"

She shook her head.

He continued, "Do you remember what you said to my colleague before you blacked out?"

She shook her head, "I said something? I blacked out?"

Xemnas nodded, "You said Xistum." A small lie…

She cocked her head to the side, "What does that mean?"

Xemnas shrugged as innocently a Nobody could, "I assume it's your name."

Her head returned to her hands, "Xistum… It has a ring to it…"

Xemnas stepped closer and flipped back her hood. Her shoulder-length, lilac hair was unkempt and parts towards the back were matted with blood. The hair covered her face but Xemnas saw an eye twinkle behind it; he would worry later about her personal hygiene, "Do you remember how you hit your head?"

She shook her head. "Do you remember where you were?"

Again, another silent no.

"Do you remember anything up until now?"

No, again.

He turned away to talk to Vexen, "How hard did she hit her head?"

Vexen shrugged, "I don't really know, but I think the amnesia will be temporary."

Xemnas nodded and turned back to Xistum, "Is there anything you need?"

"Yeah," she said flicking her hair back revealing her gray eyes to examine the men, "names and location."

The gray haired man responded, "My title: Superior. My number: I. My name: Xemnas."

She nodded and turned to the blonde one.

He just stood there. With a nudge from the Superior, he began, "My title: 'Chilly Academic.' My number: IV. My name: Vexen."

She scoffed at the numbers, "What is this? _1984? _Using numbers to identify yourselves from one another is so inhumane."

Xemnas ignored the comment, "You are deep within the place Organization XIII calls home: The Castle That Never Was."

"Gee. Aren't you creative?" She snapped back. She crossed her arms.

Xemnas laughed eerily as he walked away. '_She's the one we need._'

* * *

It had been several weeks since Xistum had woken in Vexen's lab, and not a single memory had returned to her. Her strength was back to what Xemnas thought was satisfactory. She had time to train. But first, she needed something to train with.

Down in the lab, Xemnas ushered Xistum through a portal which lead to a room full of sharp, pointy, and just down right dangerous things. She looked around, seeing metal glint in every direction.

"Now," Xemnas said, "is the time you should choose your weapon. Whatever that strikes you as familiar or appealing."

She walked slowly around the room, each and thinking of a creative use for each of the weapons. Something caught her curiosity as being, for lack of another word, useless. She picked up the thing. It had a sharp edge along each edge, but it had two handles each fashioned like the strange symbol she saw at the top of the castle. She only could see it from her bed in Vexen's lab.

She heard a door knob click ever so faintly. Xemnas heard it, also. His reaction was to push Xistum through another portal with her new weapon before the intruder could see them. The portal closed before the intruder could see.

Xemnas looked up at the intruder; it was Zexion. He had a confused look on his face. He looked to the Superior with knowing in his eyes, "I can smell her, you know."

Xemnas looked to him, feigning innocence, "Who?"

"The new girl," Zexion said. "Her scent is still here…"

"Really?" Xemnas stepped closer to Number VI. "What does she smell like?"

Zexion concentrated on the scent he didn't know. It smelled vaguely of the heat of a summer day, finishing on the strong scent of a humid rain. She didn't smell like the metallic scent of darkness that the others had. "Different," he replied.

Xemnas merely smiled and walked through another portal of darkness.

* * *

She stumbled on her exit from the portal. Her new weapon dropped from her grip and hit the ground. She picked it up, not really wanting it, but wanting to figure it out. She had always had an affinity for puzzles. _Is that a memory? Or is it just my programming? _She shrugged off the thoughts and began to figure out her accidental weapon.

She tried pulling the handles apart in a straight line, nothing happened. She pulled both handles to her, something happened. The actual blades appeared, hinging at the handles. _Great… Out of all the dangerous and threatening weapons, I got a giant pair of scissors._

She looked to see the hingesbut only saw the blades were being held by an invisible force. _Magnetized katana? _She slid the swords down their length, the supersonic scream on metal on metal echoing in the lab. The swords became disconnected, becoming two separate blades. She kept touching the tips together seeing that they were hopelessly attracted to each other.

Xemnas came through the portal with a worried smile, "So I see that you've figured out your weapons."

She got to see his weapons, two humming swords made from energy. Aerial Blades, he called them. He began to train her by example. He would move and she would copy.

She remembered a good tip: "Don't think of them as separated blades, but as one. Let them flow through the air as mere extensions of your arms."

Their training session ended and Xemnas left for more important duties.

She knew he was called Number I for a reason, a reason she wanted to be prepared for. She began to experiment with her katana, making up new moves that he hadn't taught her. Maybe these moves would surprise him. Maybe they wouldn't. That wouldn't keep Xistum from trying though.

* * *

I honestly didn't know where this chapter should have ended so I know it's crappy (I don't know why, but I always suck with introductions). I promise that the next chapters will be better… Also next chapter we get the full description of my OC and she gets to meet the rest of the thirteen. R&R!

LUV's from Khaos


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2_**

* * *

Several more weeks had passed since Xistum gained her weapons. She had progressed in Xemnas' training to a point where he refused to teach her anymore. Xistum didn't worry. Her experiments with fighting styles made her more than ready.

"I'll introduce you to the rest today," Xemnas stated as he brought Xistum a plate of pancakes.

She merely nodded as she dove into her pancakes, teeth first.

Xemnas placed his hand over his eyes and shook his head, "Can't you show a little more decorum?"

She shook her head.

Xemnas sighed, "I'll open a portal for you in a little while." He walked through the door to the stairs as she devoured her pancakes.

* * *

She had wiped the remaining syrup off of her face when the portal opened. She walked through to the wide open white room.

Thirteen chairs were high above her, each with a distinct character in the seat. She merely turned around and around, making herself dizzy.

She heard the Superior's voice ring in the room, the acoustics making him sound even more majestic than he already was, "This is our new 'Houseguest."'

Xistum didn't really know what to do. She waved timidly. A blonde with a mullet, a red head, and a younger blonde boy, waved back. She smiled gently.

Another blonde, a female this time, scoffed at the childishness of the new "Houseguest." The others merely sat there, drinking her in.

Zexion breathed deeply and smiled. This was the girl he had smelled earlier. She was of skinny build which was augmented by the length of her legs. Her messy, long lilac hair flowed behind her while she flicked a few strands out of her eyes. Her eyes were wide and almost innocent looking, contrasting with their gray hue.

Xemnas shifted in his seat, "Go ahead. Ask her whatever questions you want. You guys will remember more if you make up the questions yourselves."

The young blonde boy spoke up first, "What's your name?"

"Xistum," she said, "But I knew that. What I don't know is your names."

She turned around and pointed at each of them. They gave her their names, both informal and formal titles, and rank in The Organization. She quickly caught onto the pattern: All the even numbered members were to Xemnas' right and the odd numbered ones were to his left. Number XIII (Roxas was it?) was directly across from Xemnas. Their chair height varied, but Xistum hadn't caught on to that pattern completely. Xemnas' throne was highest and Vexen was next in line. The others just seemed random.

Axel asked next, "Where are you from?"

Xistum shrugged, "I really don't know… Actually, I don't remember anything until I got here."

"What a shame," Axel said. He sat his head on his left hand.

Silence echoed though the room. Xistum didn't like everyone just staring at her. She didn't know what they were thinking, and that drove her to the edge of insanity.

She was about to scream when Xemnas cleared his throat, "I assume that no one else has any questions, so we'll dismiss." The members shifted excitedly in their seats. "Zexion and Xistum, I'll need to see you two but the rest of you can go."

Ten members teleported away. Xemnas and Zexion gracefully floated down to Xistum's level. The blonde girl teleported down and got to Xistum first.

"Now see here," Larxene grabbed the front of Xistum's cloak, "Just because you can come in here and bat your eyelashes a couple of times may get you some notice from the guys. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here because I can beat their asses easily. I've got respect. You may get all the males here wrapped around your little finger but you will not earn respect so easily from me."

Xistum smirked, "I didn't expect any, Cowlick."

"Like you have room to talk, Mop-Top." Larxene referenced Xistum's hopeless hair. "You need cooler hair in this Organization." She turned to walk away.

"That isn't really a requirement," Xemnas commented. Zexion breathed deeply to just smell the scent of the rain.

She looked to the onlookers, "Anybody got a knife?"

Zexion and Xemnas shook their heads. Xistum sighed. She saw the shorter one's visible eye flick to her side.

She followed the eye and saw the quick glint of dull metal. She swung her gloved hand up and caught the kunai between her middle and ring fingers. She twirled the metal in between her fingers until she held it in between the thumb and index finger. "Thanks, Cowlick."

Xemnas promptly walked over to The Savage Nymph to sternly remind her that this quarter's goal was to give proper greetings.

Zexion merely stood there, watching Xistum's transformation. She first ran her fingers through her hair, knife in her mouth, as a sort of combing. She pulled all her hair back and hacked it off. She flung hair in her face and sliced away at it, making intricate bangs for herself. She cut away a few more chunks here and there, creating a choppy look. What she didn't notice was her lost hair had faded away; leaving no indication it was there.

Xemnas was growling inches away from Larxene's face, "I swear, if you don't fix this little attitude problem, I'll—"

His words were cut short when the dull glint of Larxene's kunai passed in front of his eyes. He followed the knife as it slammed into the wall. He and Larxene looked at each other, almost shocked, and then to Xistum.

"This cool enough?" Xistum said as she pointed to her new 'do. Larxene laughed as she teleported away.

Xistum felt something warm seep out of her left cheek. A touch with a gloved hand revealed the dark sparkle of blood on her finger tips. "Oops…"

"Zexion, I need you to take Xistum and show her the way around the castle," Xemnas stated, eyeing Xistum's cut. "But first you may want that fixed up."

Zexion nodded and opened a portal. Xistum waved gently to The Superior before she entered.

* * *

On the other side was Vexen's lab, but Vexen was not there.

"Oh, well," Zexion sighed, "The guy should have some medical supplies around here…"

Xistum opened the closet door and pulled out some butterfly stitches. She opened a cabinet door and began to apply the adhesive strips in a concealed mirror.

"So you know your way around Vex's lab," Zexion stated with a questioning air.

Xistum didn't even look away as she answered, "I've been down here for the past few weeks. They've been performing tests on me and such, trying to bring back my memory."

Zexion leaned against the counter, "Did it work?"

She shook her head almost sadly. Almost. She took one last look at her work before she closed the cabinet.

Zexion nodded and offered his arm to her, "Shall we?"

"What a gentleman!" Xistum said as he led her up the stairs to the rest of the castle.

* * *

After showing her the majority of the castle, Zexion showed her the dormitory floors.

"This floor has most of the neophytes' rooms on it," Zexion explained. "It's kinda packed as is…"

A scream of despair came behind a door marked XIII. Xistum and Zexion exchanged odd looks and opened the door.

Roxas was crumpled on the floor with a beat-up Playstation controller in front of him. His television proclaimed, "GAME OVER!"

Xistum knelt down, and patted the defeated Roxas on the shoulder, "I know your pain, buddy."

Roxas looked up and smiled, "Its okay. I've been working on this boss for weeks now." He jumped up and reached for a red box on his desk, "Want some Pocky?"

Xistum nodded and took a chocolate dipped stick from the box, "Thanks."

Roxas took his own stick, popped it into his mouth and restarted his game.

Zexion ushered Xistum out the door. "Sweet kid," Xistum said, finishing off her own sweet.

* * *

A few steps down the hall, and Xistum heard loud music from a door marked IX. She opened this door to see the blonde with a mullet singing and dancing to a song,

"_So 1, 2, 3, take my hand and come with me__  
__Because you look so fine__  
__And I really wanna make you mine.__  
_

_I say you look so fine _

_That I really wanna make you mine."_

Xistum joined in to the surprise of Zexion,

"_Oh, 4,5,6 c'mon and get your kicks _

_now you dont need that money _

_when you look like that, do ya honey."_

Demyx and Xistum finished out the song, dancing wildly. Zexion merely leaned against the doorframe looking amused. Demyx spotted Zexion and smiled, "I'm gonna play your 'favorite' song for you Zex."

Zexion's expression changed, _Oh no…_

The blonde changed the CD in the slot, and smiled wildly.

"_Dear Diary:_

_Mood: Apathetic_

_My life is spiraling downward…"_

Zexion pinched the bridge of his nose as he said, "Thank you, Demyx, for officially ruining my day…"

Demyx laughed as Zexion walked off. He turned to Xistum, "If you ever wanna jam or something, just come on by, alright?"

Xistum nodded and waved goodbye. She ran out into the hall and saw Zexion talking with the red head.

Xistum joined the group, "Hey there, um…" She couldn't remember his name from the meeting.

"Axel," he reminded her, "A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?"

"I'm sorry," Xistum said sheepishly, "I'm great with faces but not with names."

"That's forgivable," Axel told her. "So, you ready for your initiation?"

"Initiation? Is that some sort of prank you guys are going to pull on me tonight?"

The red head shook his head, "You don't know yet? Well, it's where you fight through the rest of The Organization, not to determine your ranking, but to see how far you'll get."

Xistum turned to Zexion confused and slightly scared.

Axel continued, "May be you should get to know some of other's elements and fighting styles for preparation."

Xistum nodded, "Let's start with you, Red."

"My element is fire," Axel stated. "And just hope you're quick." He winked.

"I guess that's why your sleeves are different from the others, eh?" Xistum quizzed.

Axel laughed as he held up one of his sleeves, "Yeah, they kept catching on fire."

She laughed and waved goodbye.

Zexion started to tell her some basic strategies of the members, "You'll want to be light on your feet with almost everyone, and you don't want to piss off Larxene or Saïx. Especially Saïx… He almost smashed poor Roxas into dust with his initiation last week."

He paused to ponder the others when Xigbar appeared at the ceiling, "Greetings from the one who can defy all known laws of physics!"

Zexion rolled his eyes. Xistum, however, stared in awe at his ability, "Wow. That is one magnificent ability…"

He flipped onto the ground, "I heard that you have trouble remembering names, so I came here to show you something to remember me by…"

Zexion growled at him, "You're not going to do what you did to Larxene, are you?"

"As if!" Xigbar exclaimed, "I don't want to eternally piss this one off!"

Xistum leaned over to Zexion, "News travels incredibly fast in this castle, eh?"

"Xigbar likes to eavesdrop on the other members a lot," Zexion told her.

Xistum made an 'Ohh' face and listened to Xigbar's little reminder.

He pointed to his eye patch, "If he looks like a pirate,"

He made a talking motion with his hand, "Talks like a surfer."

He flipped back onto the ceiling, "And moves like a ninja."

He flipped back down to Xistum's level, "Then it's me! Xigbar!"

"Uhh…" Xistum just stood there… "Yeah, thanks Xigbar…"

* * *

Zexion ushered Xistum along to the second floor of the dormitories, where the original six resided.

Xistum noted that the members on this floor were a little less 'enthusiastic' than the other neophytes. There was no loud music or screams of despair.

They walked by a door labeled with an 'I.' The door swung out and nearly hit Xistum in the face. She didn't react in any way, she merely stood still.

Zexion, however, did react, "Oi! Saïx! Apologize to the new girl!"

Saïx closed the door, "Why should I? I don't feel sorry. I don't feel anything."

"'Tis the fate of a Nobody," Zexion sighed.

Xistum was confused, "What's a… Nobody?"

Both gave her stoically shocked looks.

"You don't know?" Saïx said with an almost sweet smile. He patted Zexion's shoulder, "You can tell her…" Saïx walked off, that sweet, feelingless, smile still plastered on his face.

She looked to Zexion seeking the truth that everyone had forgotten to tell her.

He sighed as they walked to the other end of the hall, "Do you know about the Heartless?"

"Darkness of the Heart that has taken on a physical form," Xistum said. "I don't really know how I know that…"

"Okay," Zexion continued, "but when the Heart leaves the body, it doesn't die. It leaves a shell that will act on its own, if the person's will was strong enough.

"Now Organization XIII is made up of Nobodies who have retained their memories of their past life, and therefore what it was like to feel. Some of us act like we can feel, to trick others and ourselves. Some of us choose to use that nature to its fullest…"

Xistum seemed unaffected, "Actually that explains a lot." She pondered her past few weeks in the lab.

Zexion stopped at an unmarked room, "This is the only room available."

Xistum opened the door and saw an empty room, save for a bed, a desk, and a laptop computer. It was empty, just like her chest and memories.

"I'll show you how to get into your email and messenger," Zexion said as he started up the computer, "however; these are for _professional_ use only."

* * *

He bid her good night and left for his room. All the way down the hall, he pondered these knots that were forming in his lower abdomen. They weren't of an emotion, but something much… _older_. Zexion really didn't know how but, the knots seemed almost primitive.

* * *

A/N: Here's the long awaited second chapter of 7DS. Now here are a few notes.

I had Roxas say, "What's your name" in honor of Jesse McCartney. I love making allusions his real world alter ego…

The songs I used are _Are You Gonna Be My Girl_ by JET and _The Emo Song _by Adam and Andrew. Poor little Zexion...

Also, in the games, Vexen's chair is the lowest. In this fic, I have him as the second highest (If you don't know already, the height of the 'throne' is decided on by how many missions you complete and if you were successful.) and ultimately second in command. So the order of command in my Fic is Xemnas-Vexen-Saïx and then whoever else… I don't really think that it matters so that's as far as it goes. One of those lovely Cell Chappies (Chapters or segments I've written on my BlackBerry because my muse often strikes away from the computer) has a relation to "Vexen's Degrading" heh heh heh

Good news: I made an outline for this Fic so I know how its going down (Yay for no more rambly chapters!)

Bad news: I really didn't follow it for this chapter. I'm trying though! Honestly, I think it didn't turn out so bad.

But guess what! I don't care what I think! I care what you guys think! So please make me happy and leave reviews!

"Praise me! PRAISE ME!!"

Sorry had a little Zim moment there…

LUV's from Khaos!

(You get more LUV's if you review!)


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

* * *

Xistum woke up in an unfamiliar room.

That statement had two lies in it.

1: It was familiar. It was the room Zexion had shown her last night. It just took her a few minutes to recognize it.

2: She didn't really wake up. She was pretending to sleep as she thought about what Zexion told her last night and her fight strategy for today's initiation.

Thinking back, getting some sleep would probably be a part of that crucial strategy.

She had no time to dwell upon her mistake because _suddenly there came a tapping,_

_As of someone gently rapping, rapping at her chamber door._

_" 'Tis some visitor," She muttered, "Tapping at my chamber door— Only this and nothing more._"

She opened the door and saw Xemnas standing there.

"You need to get ready," he ordered, taking notice of her slept-in appearance; she didn't even bother to change out of her cloak last night, "and meet the rest of us in The Hall of Empty Melodies, as soon as you can."

She leaned against the door frame as he turned away, "Why didn't you tell me?"

He spun around, slowly, "Tell you what?"

"That I was a Nobody…" Her question echoed through the halls.

"Einstein once said, 'Any fool can know. The point is to understand,'" Xemnas stated bluntly, "I didn't think you would understand."

"Unfortunately," Xistum said, straightening up, "You're the fool for assuming something."

Xemnas smirked, "Well, then, so I am." He walked off to only he knows where.

* * *

After freshening up and such, Xistum arrived in The Hall of Empty Melodies on the floor. The others were waiting above on a balcony of sorts. They were looking down on her, judging her. And she figured that symbolism out all on her little lonesome.

Xemnas opened his mouth to make the reason they were there known, but Xistum didn't let him speak

"I know why we're all here," Xistum stated as if she was only talking to The Superior, "and I've had time to think about it. So to make things a little more fair, I've chosen to give up my right to use my weapons in my fights with them."

Xemnas wasn't really shocked; he knew she was very head strong.

The others had low whispers amongst them; they didn't know she had weapons at all.

Xemnas made a motion, and Roxas jumped down from the balcony. They were going in reverse order apparently.

He drew out his weapons, two giant keys. Interesting…

"You ready for this?" He asked, his turquoise eyes flashing with excitement.

She nodded and he lunged for her. He was slow and his combos were very short so it was easy to dodge him.

This continued for a time. Xistum could see Roxas was tiring.

"This! Is! It!" Roxas screamed as his weapons vanished.

Xistum relaxed, thinking he was giving up. She was wrong.

The kid had clasped his hands around Xistum's neck. He was trying to strangle her.

She could hear screams from above, but Roxas really didn't care. She had to take matters into her own hands.

She kicked his abdomen swiftly and she fell, feet first, to the ground. She didn't falter at all. She quickly twisted his arm behind him.

His breathing slowed until he was calm. She let him go, "First thing, don't try and strangle someone whose legs are longer than your arms. Secondly, control that anger, okay Roxas."

He rubbed his shoulder with a smile, "Sorry…"

She patted his shoulder as he teleported away. _Uh oh… I didn't know they could do that... I knew they could make portals but I didn't know they could make a Quantum Leap!_

Shaking off her plan's flaw she yelled, "Next!"

'Cowlick' jumped down to Xistum's level. "Oh joy of joys!" Xistum said sarcastically. "I get to fight—"

Larxene cut her off with an attack. She threw four of her kunai at Xistum, who dodged it.

Xistum walked over to where the knives were stuck in the wall. She reached up to touch one when _BOOM! _They had exploded in her face with electrical energy.

_Lightning, eh? I can deal._

Larxene threw another handful of kunai, but instead of jumping away from them, Xistum jumped in front of them. She was able to catch one of them and the rest just stuck into one another, creating a large staff.

* * *

Zexion, watching from above, noted her (for lack of a better word) 'superior' agility.

He also noted Axel had a bottle full of… well something. "Hey Red, what's that?"

Axel held the bottle up, "Vexen made me a visual aid to help explain density and stuff. Its my good luck charm."

Zexion noted the odd colors in the bottle: the lowest phase was reddish orange, the middle one was a light yellow, and the top phase was clear.

Zexion turned to Vexen, "Hey Vex, what's in Axel's bottle?"

Vexen took a look at it, and remembered what it was, but not what was in it. Vexen thought intensely as Axel pocketed the topic.

* * *

Larxene's entire stock of kunai was in Xistum's possession, yet she refused to use them. Xistum stuck the kunai staff into the ground and merely flipped back, landing on her stomach.

Larxene scoffed and sent out streaks of lightning. She expected for her element to reach her intended target. Instead, it hit the kunai staff. Xistum had created a lightning rod.

Larxene rolled her eyes and walked over to the staff. Xistum stayed still, to the amusement of the others.

Larxene gripped the improvised lightning rod, and immediately let go. She fell to the ground; her energy had been drawn out from her, leaving her useless.

Xistum stood over the wasted Nymph, "You have became utterly worthless, Cowlick. Now just go up there and watch the rest of the show."

Larxene teleported away in a state of medically defined shock.

Marluxia jumped down from his perch, and hit the ground fighting. To Xistum's surprise, he was very light on his feet. His scythe was incredibly aerodynamic and gave him an edge, no pun intended.

Dodging wasn't going to be enough. Xistum brought her hands down aiming for his head. Marluxia brought the scythe up to block. Xistum caught his weapon and swung her feet into his face.

He fell back in pain, "My nothe! My nothe!"

Xistum had effectively broken his nose, "Oops, man. Go up there and Vexen will fix you up."

Marluxia nodded and teleported away. He screamed louder when Vexen popped his nose back into place.

Luxord dropped down to her level, "Let's play a game of chance, my dear." He brought out his oversized cards, "The victor shall get the first hit."

"You know what chance is?" Xistum asked, adrenaline rushing through her veins. She swiftly punched him in the face, sending him backwards. "Getting the first hit. NEXT!"

Demyx jumped down timidly and summoned his sitar, "After seeing what you've done to the others, I don't think I wanna fight anymore… So I'll give you a challenge."

Xistum nodded, "Finally! A change in pace!"

Demyx summoned multitudes of water clones, "Quickly! Get rid of 'em!"

She was able to grab one and just spin it around, making quick work of the clones.

Demyx seemed pleased and waved goodbye before he teleported back up.

"Now it's time for the main event!" Axel screamed as he jumped down. "Moi!"

"Little full of yourself, eh, Red?" Xistum smirked.

"Maaaayyyybe, Xis," Axel returned the smirk as he summoned his chakrams, "Maybe…"

"Now that we have pet names for each other," Xistum took on a battle stance, "_Don't go dying on me!_"

Axel chuckled as he attacked; he was going to have to remember that for a later date.

Axel chucked one of his chakrams at her, knowing she would catch it.

She did as Axel predicted, but she immediately threw it down to the ground. She examined her hand, which was burned by the strange weapon.

She kicked it back to him, anger flashing in her grey eyes.

"Don't be afraid to play with fire!" Axel smirked as he stuck the aforementioned bottle of 'stuff' on one of his chakrams. He slid the modified weapon along the arena floor.

* * *

Vexen turned to Zexion, "I remember what I put in the bottle now! It had, in order from more dense to least dense, pure ethyl alcohol with food coloring, gasoline and lighter fluid."

Why in his right mind did he give that concoction to the resident pyromaniac? The world may never know.

Both saw the punctured bottle slide along the floor, leaving a trail of the flammable liquids. Xistum caught the chakram and bottle under her foot, looking confused.

Vexen practically threw himself over the side of the balcony, screaming--

* * *

"Move Xistum! Get out of there!"

She looked up and saw Vexen having a literal spaz attack.

She looked at him like he was out of his mind, until she caught a whiff of the intoxicating ethers.

She looked to Axel, who had a grin snaking across his face. He snapped his fingers, and Xistum turned and ran.

The wall of air from the explosion sent her off the side of the arena. Luckily, she had caught onto the edge, holding onto it for her life.

The smoke cleared and Xemnas began to yell at Axel, "You ignorant fool! You killed her!"

Axel was shocked, "I- I didn't mean to! I just wanted to discourage her from continuing on!"

"Well," Xistum said pulling herself up, "It didn't work!"

A collective sigh of relief was heard in The Hall of Empty Melodies.

Axel ran over and helped Xistum up. She stood up and punched Axel in the arm, "What the hell was that for?!"

Axel held her in an embrace, "Don't you EVER do that again!"

* * *

Zexion averted his eyes, as his fists began to tighten. Larxene noticed his reaction and smirked.

Axel appeared on the upper level, with his overly cocky air following.

Zexion marched over to him and punched him, "You bastard! You could kill someone like that!"

That's his excuse for punching him… in the face… with enough force to knock him to the ground. Not like he was jealous of him latching on to Xistum or anything… He couldn't be… Right?

Axel stood up, flames dancing in those peridot eyes, "You wanna go at it, shorty?" For a guy whose name means "Father of Peace," he really did like to start fights.

"Who are you calling short?" Zexion puffed out his chest, making himself seem bigger than he was, "Half-Wit!"

Axel drew back his fist ready to punch "Shorty's" lights out, but Xemnas cut in. With just a long stare from his golden-orange eyes, the two backed down.

Xemnas took note of Zexion's reaction. It wasn't like him to be offensive. Xemnas made a motion to Saïx, who jumped down to the arena floor.

Xistum saw his almost sweet smile, and smiled back. This guy just seemed so happy-go-lucky.

His yellow eyes closed and his smile turned into a scowl. Saïx snarled and his claymore appeared.

Xistum muttered a curse under her breath as his claymore made contact with her abdomen.

The hits kept coming and Xistum knew she would have to give up at some point. She hit the ground.

Saïx's smile returned and he threw his claymore into the ground. "Moon, shine down!" He levitated, up collecting the moon's power.

Xistum saw her chance. She picked up his claymore and swung it around to get the feel of it.

"_Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick—"_

She swung the claymore fast and hard into Saïx's crotch. _"BOOOOM!!" _

Xigbar screamed, "Oh my god! Those spikes have got to do some damage!"

Saïx instantly fell to the ground (He had the claymore lodged in the 'area'), and she walked over to him, panting, "You are one bipolar son of a bitch!"

He growled in pain.

Xemnas spoke up, "I believe now would be the time for us to take some time to recover. Vexen…" Xemnas made a quick glance in Saïx direction. Vexen rolled his eyes and jumped down to the arena floor.

"Lucky me!!" Vexen said incredibly _thrilled_, "I get to patch up the bipolar werewolf's genitals! Anybody wanna help? Nooooo! God forbid!"

Vexen held up his hands in defeat before he dragged the "bipolar werewolf" through a portal to his lab.

* * *

AN: Ta-da! Xistum has fought through the neophytes with some effort! Sorry I squished them into one chapter…

BTW: I'm not saying that my character is invincible. I'm just showing her 'element.' What's her element? Well, it requires a general idea of the title to this fic, Rain Man like qualities, a look into my mind works (Which may not be a good thing... heh, heh...), and possibly a transmission electron microscope...

In the beginning there is a Poe allusion, because I've been reading a lot of poetry lately. And after all, you can't spell 'poetry' with out 'Poe!'

There are going to be a lot of references to Einstein because I found out he died on my birthday. Morbid, yes. Awesomely cool, oh yeah!

The exploding bottle of doom is inspired by my Chemistry teacher, who has one in her classroom. So if my school catches fire, her room will explode… so will the chemistry lab...

"Axel" really is a Scandinavian, German and Hebrew given name meaning "Father of peace". So says Wikipedia.

There is a reference from _Tick Tick Boom_ by The Hives in the Saïx fight. And needless to say, that 'bipolar werewolf' deserved it. Bastard killed me in proud mode… grrrr….

Thanks to Vixanne who gave me the inspiration to continue this fic from the Teaser days... I honestly was going to let this fic die until she reviewed.

Über-thanks to The Magnificent Tim Fortune who I asked to review the first two chapters. He could probably catch any errors I could make before I actually made them. He's awesome like that.

Virtual fedoras to you two!

Any one else who reviews will get a fedora too!

Yes… I give out fedoras for prizes… Don't judge me…

LUV's from Khaos


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

* * *

An hour later, six participators and six spectators in the initiation returned to the Hall Of Empty Melodies; Vexen was busy "fixing" Saïx.

Xistum was standing shakily on the arena floor. Her adrenaline rush, her physical stamina, was leaving. "N-Next!" She screamed loudly, hoping that the volume of her voice would mask any weakness.

Zexion hesitated before jumping down to the arena. He knew that he had a disadvantage…

"I'm ready," Xistum took on a battle stance. "Do your worst."

Zexion turned to the side and summoned his lexicon. He flipped through its pages searching for the right one. He silently mouthed out, _'I don't want to hurt you…'_

With a simple twist of his body, a trail of darkness appeared on the floor. Xistum, in her tired state, couldn't react quickly enough. She was engulfed by the darkness and was drawn under.

At first she tried to fight it, like a drowning swimmer, but she realized that this darkness wasn't crushing her, like she thought it should.

She took the new glove off of her hand, and saw that the burn she had acquired was fading away. The scars were there, but the pain was gone. The same sensation engulfed her body. The cuts were healing and the bruises turning a yellowish green.

If this is what fading away felt like, she wouldn't mind it. Not at all…

* * *

"Superior, I don't think it would be any use for me to fight her," Zexion pleaded on the outside of the lexicon Xistum was trapped in. "She has no meaningful memories for me to manipulate."

Xemnas merely nodded, and Larxene took extreme interest in this request for forfeit.

"I like to get out while I'm a head," Zexion finished off his request.

"So that's why you punched Red over here, huh?" Larxene spoke up. "You don't want to hurt her. My question is why? Why do you not want to hurt her?"

Zexion stammered, "I'm u-useless a-against her!"

"Yeah, right!" Larxene replied with her usual 'charm,' "You want her to love you, don't you? Don't you? Well, I have no problem crushing that dream. We don't have hearts remember? Not now. Not ever again!"

Zexion bit down hard on his lip, seeing the way everyone else was stirring up on the balcony. They were judging him now…

Larxene grinned in triumph. Zexion knew that what she said was true, for the most part at least. At that moment in time, he made himself a promise: to get Xistum's heart back. He didn't really care about his own. He put others first, like he always has.

He flipped through his book as a portal of darkness appeared feet in front of him. Xistum come tumbling out, squinting and somewhat disappointed; she was peaceful there. Even the soft light from the heart-shaped moon hurt her eyes compared to the sweet darkness she was in.

"Where was I?" Xistum asked as a new sort of strength surged through her.

Zexion meekly pointed to his weapon, the lexicon.

"You drew the short straw on the day you all picked weapons, huh?" Xistum joked.

Zexion smiled weakly and 'Quantum Leaped' back up to the balcony. Lexaeus took his place on the arena.

He use powerful attacks but he was slow and bulky, making it easy for Xistum to dodge. Without her healing from Zexion's magic book, Xistum may have been crushed in a similar way to Gregor Samsa. That would be, if he was ever actually squashed like the bug he was…

Lexaeus grew tired, and left with only a courteous nod.

Vexen wasn't back yet so Xemnas decided to skip him.

Xaldin used his element to gracefully summon his six lances. He would normally attack from above, but he wanted to give the girl a fair chance.

Slashes from the lances nicked at Xistum's cloak and skin. Nothing major.

He sent his lances jutting out at her. She jumped on to them and slid closer to Xaldin. She grabbed one of the lances, and knocked the others away. She stood with a lance poised to go through Xaldin's neck.

He made a sour face as he made his weapons disappear. Next time, he didn't care if it was a Nobody, a Somebody, anybody, he wasn't fighting fair. He teleported back onto the balcony, effectively defeated.

Vexen came back using the doors instead of portals, "What'd I miss? What'd— Oh, Saïx? Gave him some pain meds. Out like a light. Still, what'd I miss?"

Xemnas filled the excited Academic in on what had happened in his absence. Xigbar hopped down onto the floor, guns drawn, and ready to go.

Xistum lunged for him, trying to be on the offensive this time. She had a major disadvantage.

He immediately flipped up and hovered upside down. He teleported and shot at her from the other side of the arena. She would dodge the projectiles and get close enough to attack, but her efforts were in vain; Xigbar would teleport away as soon as she got close enough.

This was what was going to break her. Xigbar began to shoot off his next magazine-full of rounds. Xistum caught the first in the series and reflected the rest, resulting in Xigbar being open to another attack. She ignored the fact that the projectile had seared her skin in a manner much worse than the incident with Axel.

She grabbed onto his right hand pulling him down slightly. She swung her feet up and kicked hard into his shoulder. She smiled in delight when his shoulder made a sickening pop. He screamed in agony and dropped his guns and himself to ground level.

Vexen rolled his eyes and teleported to the disabled Xigbar. He made no effort to drag him to the lab; he figured that he could mend the dislocated shoulder without any medical supplies.

Xigbar had unzipped his cloak and had it hanging from his elbows. The bone was jutting out from under the skin, making it appear like Xigbar had two shoulders for one arm.

Vexen delicately examined the injury, first visually and then with a touch as light as a feather. He held his hands over the abnormal skeletal structure, reading for the procedure, "I'm not gonna lie, this will hurt… a lot…"

"Just do it, man," Xigbar croaked out, clearly not ready, "Just—"

Vexen made a quick, precise push onto the dislocated bone. With another sickening pop, and an accompanying yelp, Xigbar's shoulder was back together again, "Whew! That's gonna hurt in the morning…"

Vexen turned to Xistum, "You're gonna kill someone if you keep this up…"

"Survival of the fittest," Xistum curtly replied.

The two teleported back up to the balcony, leaving Xistum alone with her fury.

* * *

As low whispers circled him, Zexion was lost in his own thoughts.

Xistum had already displayed _superbia_, and _ira_, most defiantly, and maybe a form of _avaritia_. She had caused Demyx to show _acedia_; whether or not it was out of his own accord. Taking note of Larxene's reaction yesterday, Zexion assumed she had fallen to _invidia_. He hadn't had a chance to observe if Xistum had committed _gula _yet, so there was one more Zexion could cross off his list. He prayed that she wouldn't show it in her next competitor: Xemnas.

Number I arrived on the floor with his usual grace, as if he would be in a war of words, not of fists, "I have only one rule in fighting: be fair."

He had this one rule when fighting against the neophytes; if it were one of his colleagues it would be different.

Xistum nodded and took an offensive stance. She lunged for him, trying to land some sort of hit. Like everyone else, he made a quantum leap. _That's really getting old!_

She yelped when the hot aerial blade came inches from her back. She spun around and saw Xemnas' gloved hands give way to pure energy. He held up his blades triumphant before launching an assault on Xistum.

She was able to evade the more serious attacks and only escape with minor burns and open gashes. She kept backing away from Xemnas, but she felt some sort of wall behind her. A quick glance: It was another of Xemnas' abilities, an energy-based shield.

She saw two more appear to her right and left. The only way she was getting out was through Xemnas. _He wants it that way, eh? Fine._

She held her hands high above her head, summoning her katana. The metal screamed as they slid against each other, reverberating within the energy shields.

She lunged for her attacker as the shields faded away. The fighters could only grin.

The way they fought was like poetry, each playing off the other like they were one.

A swing from one resulted in a daring blow from another. _Swish... Clink… Hum… Swish…Clink…Hum_

Their dangerous dance continued, until Xemnas brought his Aerial Blades crashing down towards the girls head. She crossed her own blades in an 'X' and caught his attack. They began to push on each other, forcing one to give up… so they thought.

The already silent Organization, looked upon them in awe, seeing that their beloved Superior may have finally met his match. The silence was augmented by the sparer's heavy breathing, their physical hearts' rapid beating, and the hum of the blades clashing.

"You said you would fight _sans weapons_," Xemnas stated from their earlier chat.

"Yeah," Xistum huffed, "Them. And it proved to be as easy as I thought. You, however, have proven your self quite difficult."

"You've changed the rules…"

"And, therefore, the game. So what are the rules now?"

"No mercy."

She grinned as she pushed the vertex of the X closer to her opponent, pushing his own weapons back to him. The blades of mere metal and pure energy disconnected sending Number I backwards through the air. She rushed at him, putting all of her strength into her vicious attacks.

The constant glint of metal was the only clues of where she was to Xemnas. The dizzying attacks made him realized he had to end it quickly or he would become overwhelmed.

He dropped low to the ground, swinging his blades at her feet. She jumped gracefully in the air, watching Xemnas' every move. Until he disappeared that is.

She searched the floor of the … for his cloak, hair, eyes-- anything. _Movement. Peripheral vision. 4 o'clock._ She turned quickly in the air to block his attack. Milliseconds to react left her off center and her fall chaotic.

Zexion bit his lip when he saw the way her left foot landed. He winced when he heard he sickening pop. He turned his head when she fell to the floor like a ragdoll. A ragdoll with a broken ankle. She drew a breath in a hiss that echoed in the arena.

Xemnas landed with his usual grace and poise. He stood triumphant over Xistum with one of his Aerial Blades humming inches from her neck, "Checkmate."

"No," Xistum huffed, the itchy heat of tears rising up her throat, "Check."

Xemnas gave her a confused glance right before she kicked his own feet out from under him, with her broken foot, nonetheless. She just took the pain and just turned it into strength. She slid along the floor of the arena, slicing quickly through the back of Xemnas' hands as he was laying on the ground, leaving nice bloody X's on them.

His Aerial Blades disappeared and he lost the ability to control them. He stood quickly, shocked and defenseless.

She threw her blades into the ground and rushed towards him, fists clenched.

Quick jabs to the head bruised Xemnas' right jaw. She delivered a hard punch to the abdomen. Xemnas bent over retching in pain. She slammed both of her fists down into the base of his neck. His back popped in several places leaving sharp pain. She brought her knee swiftly up to his face which, when it connected, left his nose and lips spewing blood.

The hit sent him jerking upright, staggering backwards. Seeing stars would be an understatement. He opened his eyes wider and wider, trying to see something among the flashes of light and pain.

He felt the heel of her boot connect with his left cheek, ripping it open. She screamed upon landing, her foot was broken after all.

He took a deep breath trying to focus any sense he had left; however, his efforts were in vain. A powerful roundhouse kick knocked his new air out of his lungs and sent him flying through the air. He struggled to get up, but his vision was getting cloudy around the edges.

She quickly grabbed both of her katana. She fell on top of him, resulting in a pain-filled grunt from The Superior. She had him pinned with her katana against his throat. "Draw," Xemnas barely breathed.

"Smart man…"

Xistum got off of him and shifted her body weight to her good foot. Xemnas stood up slowly and shakily. He looked to his Organization, who was looking back at him, expecting an answer. Except for Zexion, who was merely looking at his shoes.

"Dismissed," Xemnas told them, his voice thick with blood. Ten of the members filed out of the room, low whispers following them. Vexen rolled his eyes with a look that said, "I'll fix you two up when you get to the lab." He teleported away. This left Zexion staring at his shoes and the two on the arena floor.

Zexion was praying that his theory wouldn't be proven for the _sixth_ time.

Xistum stepped closer to Xemnas' right side. He stared on ahead; he dared not look at her.

She started to replace strands of his hair that fell out of place during the scuffle. Her small hand reached around his neck, holding him still as her lips traced his jaw line. The warm breath on bruised skin made Xemnas feel a tightening in the bottom of his soul; he still had that.

She pulled his neck closer, gently kissing his neck. The tightening knots spread to Xemnas' aching back.

Zexion turned, his face flushed. He flipped his hood up and walked out. He had seen enough. His theory was proven…

Xistum pressed her lips harder into his flesh. He leaned his neck into the touch. The knots spread to his neck and shoulders. Her warm lips moved up his neck, lilac hair tickling broken and fevered flesh. Her breath made its way to his ear. Her tongue licked lightly along the edge of his ear.

Xemnas closed his eyes concentrating on her hand gracing the back of his neck and making sure he didn't gag on the blood flowing down his throat. The blood she caused.

She gently ran her fingers through the sensitive hair at the back of his neck. The knots had taken over his body. He felt like he was going to explode.

_YANK_

She pulled the hair she had just being playing with. Xemnas winced in pain, which was multiplied by the rest of his injuries.

She put her lips to his ear, barely touching with each word she whispered sweetly, "Pain is a wonderful gift. Do _NOT_ waste it."

She slammed his head forward before she let go of his hair. She walked away limping.

Xemnas fell to his knees, expectorating blood. The force that kept him standing was long gone. He could only shudder and try to rid himself of the blood in his throat. _What the Hell was that?_

* * *

Zexion sat alone in his room, foot tapping, reading. Well, that's what he wanted any visitors to think. The Cloaked Schemer was thinking of his newfound knowledge of Xistum…

_So, Xistum's a sinner… I'll make her sin for me… Not like we Nobodies have any contrition anyway…_

* * *

A/N: Yay! I think that turned out pretty well don't you?

I have no fighting experience, except for the verbal kind, so these fights and the ones that commenced last chapter are from reading the way other authors had described a fight. The whole dislocated shoulder thing was also from a book, _Hearts in Atlantis_ by Stephen King actually. I am extremely glad I never experienced Xigbar's pain first hand. I mean, I cannot express how _immensely_ glad I am within these words…

There's an allusion to Kafka's _The Metamorphosis_ in Lex's fight. I actually like what we're reading in English class this year.

I have given you all my explanation on why the fight with Xaldin in KHII is so _effing_ hard! I'm just glad King Mickey comes to help...

Those of you who read my teaser should recognize the second part of Xemnas' fight. I edited it a bit because I needed it to flow more with the rest of the chapter.

So we find that Xistum's element is Sin! _Rah-Rah!_ (I say "Rah-Rah" sometimes like "Ta-da" so it's the exact same thing… I know I'm insane, thank you…) And of course, Zexion figured it out first within The Organization. It would have been easier if he knew her "True" name was Tsumi, Japanese for "Sin." Everything means something in this Fic… Everything…

And I know I added this chapter immediately after I added Chapter Three. My account was acting skitzy, and instead of moping and trying in vain to get it to work, I decide to make this chapter.

Wow, longest A/n ever!

If you love me, you'll review… Please??

LUV's from Khaos


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

* * *

A light tapping came at Zexion's door. He glanced up and saw Xistum leaning against his door frame. "Hey, you missed dinner," she said.

The knots were back and he fought the urge to convulse, "I usually do."

"Oh," Xistum scratched the back of her neck, "I just thought I really pissed you off today, you know? I'm sorry about what I said about your weapon. Well, I would be if I could feel sorry…"

"I know what you mean," Zexion empathized with his fellow Nobody the best he could. He closed his lexicon and flung it on his desk along with countless other books, "It is pretty useless, huh?"

"No, it's not that," Xistum assured, taking note of the inscription on the lexicon, 'Another Side' it said, "It's just that, while I was in there, I was being healed. Does that happen all the time or what?"

"I thought you could need the help," Zexion said as he stared into her shallow grey eyes. He began playing with the beads on his cloak to express his nervous energy.

"Thanks," Xistum said as she slipped inside the Schemer's room. "So…"

Silence echoed through the library-like room. Xistum sat down on bed a few feet away from Zexion.

"It's getting late, huh?" Zexion said taking note of his digital alarm clock. 9:37 p.m. it read.

"Yeah," Xistum said standing up, "I don't feel tired at all, though! I didn't even get any sleep last night either!"

"Sin never sleeps," Zexion pondered under his breath.

"Huh?" Xistum asked. She couldn't quite hear him. Something about sleep…

"Never mind," Zexion said, standing and examining his book shelves. "Need something to help you sleep? A nightcap perhaps?"

"Why not?" Xistum replied. She watched as Zexion pulled a thick, leather-bound book with some illegible name off the shelf and pulled a bottle of scotch and two old fashion glasses from behind it.

"Do you like it mixed with anything?" Zexion asked while pouring his own glass full of the golden liquid over ice that had magically appeared from his lexicon weapon. Vexen gave up only one talent to that book, a talent that seemed absolutely useless until now.

"I want to say…" Xistum thought hard as she tried to remember this trivial fact from her past life, "No."

Whether she was right or wrong, she didn't know. Zexion handed her the gold filled glass, seeing his plan unfold before him. Yes, it was cliché, underhanded, and just a little wrong (just a little because he didn't drug her drink after all; he _was_ a gentleman), but she agreed to the drink. Not like Zexion couldn't talk his way out of it if anything went awry.

She sipped her drink and small talk began, "Any body found the Higgs boson yet?"

* * *

Time passed as Zexion mentally crossed _gula_ off of his list of sins. He also contemplated, over his third glass of scotch, the ramblings of a drunk bent on solving the mysteries of the universe.

"I mean, Einstein had a great idea, with his whole Emc2 thing had something going for him, ya know? He could relate mass to energy and that would make mass a form of energy, correct?" Xistum clung to Zexion's shoulder with a drunken blush coloring her ivory face. He had lost count of how much she had.

Zexion merely nodded, taking the high points of her argument and saving them away for a future conversation with Vexen. "And here we have particles drifting through the universe and the Higgs field thingy gaining mass, mass that could be converted to energy under the right circumstances. And--"

She stopped with a huge grin sneaking across her face, "Lo and behold, the universe stands before me, explained."

Zexion could only return the grin. Poor child had been locked in Vexen's lab for weeks. The old coot must have brainwashed her with particle physics.

"Universe…" Xistum continued her voice softer and grin gone, "Many great minds have stated that it started from nothing. Maybe nothing is what starts it all. Maybe we Nobodies, those who teeter on the edge of nothing, are supposed to start something. Something great, I assure you."

She took another sip of her golden drink. She did a double take. The gold-red hue reminded her of something from her past… no some_one._

That thought was pushed out of her mind quickly, "On more recent terms however, I never got to see you fight today!"

She stood up like a drunk Nobody would, and dragged Zexion up with her. She took his drink and set it down beside hers on the desk.

"Come on! You and me! Mano y mano!" Xistum held up her fists, swaying back and forth.

Zexion wasn't drunk enough to agree but he was lustful enough to allow such a fight. The impromptu plan might just work.

He punched her playfully, and she did the same. That is, until she tripped and fell, of course.

_Oops_, Zexion thought as he stumbled "drunkenly" on to Xistum.

They laughed and made eye contact. The laughter faded as Zexion brought his lips closer to her own.

The gentle kiss progressed into clothing being torn at.

* * *

Vexen, an innocent bystander in this situation, was coming up from his lab and back to his room for the night. He saw the event happening on Number VI's floor and chose out of his own decency to close the door. Voila! Not his problem anymore!

* * *

The two didn't even notice the door being shut.

* * *

_  
The next morning…_

Zexion, who had been stripped of his clothing the night before, awoke in his bed with a warm body next to his own. His sin had been committed.

He began to brush Xistum's bangs from her face, taking note of how beautiful she looked in her sleep.

The sleep was disturbed though. Her eyelids fluttered open and the corners of her mouth drew up in a smile. She looked almost innocent. Pun intended.

"Morning," she said sleepily. Her lover replied the same, even though it still looked as if it were night.

She began to wiggle, getting herself closer to Zexion when the portal opened.

"Number VI, I've decided to put- " Xemnas' words stopped cold when he saw Xistum and Zexion lying naked in bed together. It didn't take a Ph.D. to know what happened.

Zexion's eyes flashed with something akin to terror.

Xemnas shook his head, "Lust is a sin…"

"And so is envy," Xistum curtly replied, not missing a beat.

Xemnas frowned at her remark. "Get dressed," He ordered and left without another word.

Zexion jumped up and started picking his cloak and other assorted garb up off the floor.

"What? You really gonna listen to him?" Xistum said in disbelief.

"I kinda have to," Zexion said, thinking of the malevolent smile of his would be executioner (which would most likely be Axel), "Or I'll be fired in the most literal sense of the word."

"Fired, eh?" Xistum repeated as she had her first memory flood back to her.

* * *

It was a dark, starless night in the city she lived in. The name of said city she couldn't remember.

Xistum, with her hair the length it was when we first met her, was picking up bottles and shot glasses from the decrepit pub she worked in. It wasn't very well lit (or well in any sense), and smoke hung in the air.

If the atmosphere didn't kill you, the regulars would.

Most regulars were the bank-robbing-serial-killer/rapist-drug-dealing-weapon-of-mass-destruction-building-freaks-of-nature. The non-regulars? Fugitives.

But work was work, right?

Xistum had a hard time getting any form of respect there. Respect in this sense would mean others keeping their grimy, sex crazed hands off of her.

But this night, she had enough. If one more son of a bitch touched her, she'd—

"WHO TOUCHED ME!?" Xistum roared. The men at the guilty table started to laugh their heads off, like it was some sort of sick joke.

Xistum flung herself at a section of wall that had a katana placed upon it for aesthetics. Well, not any more.

She held the katana at the table, the men were still laughing. Except for one. He looked like he was meeting his maker. Oh, that he was. That he was…

She lunged at the guilty man and held the katana at his throat. She saw some of his friends reach for their assorted firearms, but honestly she would have dared them to shoot her. Anything to put her out of this brand of misery.

Xistum began to growl, "If you ever do that again I'll cas-"

She never got to utter "–trate you" because her boss dragged her off the man. "That's it! YOU ARE FIRED!"

The men at the guilty table snickered. Xistum shot them the bird behind her back.

"You can come back at closing to get your things." That's right. She had been living in the apartment upstairs.

"You can have that stupid shit." Xistum growled and motioned to the katana in her hand, "but I'm keeping this."

She stomped out the door before her boss could retort.

Walking in the rainy streets, Xistum saw strange creatures enter her world for the very first time. She knew them because they had been plastered all over the news like most of the people in her former place of employment.

The Heartless had arrived.

* * *

"Xistum? Xiiiiissssttuuumm?" Zexion was waving his gloved hand in front of her entranced eyes.

"I just had my first memory to return," Xistum stated flatly. She kinda wished it didn't return…

"It was the night my world faded to darkness."

* * *

Xemnas walked through corridors, hallways, and the like as close to shocked he could be without Larxene's help.

Suddenly, his shock had faded away, and was replaced by a devious planning smirk of sorts.

_Maybe a change in plans is needed…_

* * *

A/N: Whew! Done!

I'm sorry but this chapter has been a bitch to write! Now on to more important things.

For legal purposes, I'm gonna say that Xistum is about 23-ish. That's also how old I think Zexion is, assuming Nobodies age. Go ahead and debate about that.

A great writer (so not me!) once said, "I cannot write that my character is staring into a bottomless pit, because _I_ have not done so." Following this tangent of thought, I have never been _that _drunk before (seen someone else that drunk before. It made great blackmail by the way). You can make as many inferences following the above postulate, as it relates to this chapter.

I honestly think it's great that I remember that quote because it was on the PSAT, I took nearly a year ago. I honestly think I have Random Access Memory….

Now this chapter was supposed to be divided into two, but honestly I didn't want to waste my readers' time with filler chapters. See? I do care about you guys!

Speaking of my readers, Vixanne made an observation that I was metaphorically stepping into Mary-Sue-dom. GASP! I am deeply sorry. Not that I mean to, it just happened that way. But if you are here and reading thus far, I have a feeling you don't really care about that or I did something right for once!

As for the whole Higgs boson thing, go Wikipedia it and follow the link to the rap video listed under "Popular Culture." Yes… rap…

The "great minds" I'm referring to are the Ancient Greeks. More specifically, their mythology. And guess what they called the nothingness! Chaos! I can't imagine where you've seen that before…. heh, heh.

Now, for my sanity (which is fleeting at best), please don't ask which world Xistum is from, and please, _please_ don't ask about the timeframe her memory takes place. It isn't that important to the plot when it happened, it just matters that it did happen.

Now this is my longest A/N ever.

I demand reviews!

LUV's from Khaos


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

* * *

Xemnas traversed the empty halls making his way to a subfloor within Nothing's Call. This subfloor was none other than Vexen's secret lab.

A light knock on the door gained The Superior entrance, "Number IV, have you found the Higgs boson yet?"

Vexen sat down the piece of lab equipment he was calibrating, "Seeing that I lack a proton accelerator, and not to mention one with the immense size needed to find this particle that may or may not exist… but I don't see how that has anything to do with The Organization gaining hearts."

Vexen sat there and pondered at the importance of the Higgs boson as his Superior began to laugh, "Oh, a joke… how come I didn't catch that?"

"You never were the one with the sense of humor, Even." Xemnas' chuckles subsided.

Number I's demeanor became more serious, as he discussed a plan only the two in the lab knew, "I've decided to let Number XI go to Castle Oblivion-"

"I'm telling you, something's not right with that one…" Vexen began. He was cleaning out a test tube now.

"--In my place," Xemnas finished. The ineluctable silence was broken by Vexen's test tube shattering on the floor.

"I highly doubt that Number XI will make a suitable leader in Castle Oblivion," Vexen pleaded with knowledge of Marluxia's malevolent intent.

"He has shown tremendous abilities in the missions I have assigned him. Maybe such abilities should be rivaled with your own." Xemnas concluded.

"Well, then, why do you think you must stay?"

"I've already seen what the Keyblade Master can do. There would be no need for me there."

"You're a terrible liar…"

Vexen made an interesting point. Xemnas told him the (partial) truth, "This plan was intact until _she_ showed up. _She _needs more guidance; however, Ienzo (apparently), you, and I are the only one's she'll trust. I think it's highly illogical for all of us to be there."

"Thank you for that analysis, Mr. Spock…" The Chilly Academic's words dripped with sarcasm.

Xemnas rolled his eyes at the nickname so cruelly placed upon him, "You and Ienzo are going to be in charge, though."

"Yes, let's see how well _that _works out with 'Flower Power' in the same castle." Vexen's sarcasm faded away leaving a dark understanding of sorts, "I know the real reason you want to stay, and I don't really blame you…"

Xemnas' expression said 'Enlighten Me.'

"You lust for her," Vexen said matter-of-factly, "just like everyone else who has a Y chromosome and has hit puberty." He left out Larxene for obvious reasons, and young Roxas. Maybe Saïx, too, who was released from the lab the night before. The sweet smile he had before would never come again.

"You too?" Xemnas asked with a crooked smile.

"Ienzo has proven that she is more sensitive than XII," Vexen ignored the question and tried his best to block out the sight he saw the night before. He shifted his weight and crossed his arms, "Maybe in his absence, you can convince her to sleep around a bit, eh?"

"Do NOT talk about her like she is some prostitute," Xemnas ordered with fists clenched.

"Maybe she was. Who knows? Not like she can remember a damn thing anyway!" Vexen knocked a stack of books and lab equipment—a photon generator perhaps—off of a nearby counter in something akin to frustration.

"You need to calm down," Xemnas barked to his colleague.

"If Number XII can go insane anytime he want, why can't I? After all, it does come with the mad scientist archetype!" Just to prove his mad scientist image, he laughed his infamous laugh at his dry joke. He flung some glass wear aimlessly, not intending for it to go anywhere near his friend.

Xemnas 'quantum leaped' out of the way to see the glass shatter against the wall.

Xemnas took action before the 'mad scientist' destroyed his precious lab. He gave a few quick jabs to the scientist's head which left minute trails of blood spraying through the air. Xemnas pinned his former friend and colleague to the wall.

A stream of bright red blood trickled from Vexen's lip, "_You. Arrogant. Little. Infant._" Vexen spit a mixture of saliva and blood onto the olive face inches from his own.

Xemnas jerked back slightly at the disrespectful act, a common reaction to having your face spit upon. His face twisted into a scowl as he pushed Number IV hard against the wall before he let him go. He made his way quickly to the door. Without even looking back, he growled, "Meeting in fifteen minutes." He slammed the door with such force that the walls shook.

Vexen wiped the blood from his lips and began to search though his cabinets for something he used in times like this.

"Ahh," he uttered as he pulled down a bottle of C2H6O, making sure not to confuse it with its isomer of dimethyl ether, which was clearly marked with a "**WARNING!** _Poisonous Contents_!" sticker just for this purpose.

He unscrewed the top and took a long swig of the bottles contents. He winced as the substance made his split lip burn, but he still drank. He was going to need it for the upcoming meeting.

* * *

"So this is going to be my first meeting, eh?" Xistum said with a slight hangover. She and Zexion were walking down the halls, making their way to Where Nothing Gathers.

Zexion opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by an unmistakably deep voice, "No."

Xistum spun around to The Superior, "Say what?"

"You are not included in the meeting, for you are not a true member." Xemnas said, his voice flat. He made a motion for Zexion to follow him.

Zexion began to object but remembered his place. He followed the silver- haired man to the meeting room with one last stare at his lover.

Xistum stood there pondering whether or not this was Xemnas' brand of civil punishment.

"Left out, eh?" Axel came up the hall, having heard what had just been said. He dug through his pockets.

He handed her a pouch full of random gems, stones, shards, and crystals, and a stack of severely neglected papers, each labeled "Synthesis Recipe."

"Here," Axel waved goodbye, "Go make yourself something pretty."

* * *

Zexion noticed some odd things at the meeting.

First, Vexen's throne had been lowered to the lowest of the low. Zexion would inquire later on why.

Secondly, The Superior wasn't speaking much, and when he did, his sentences were short and strained. Something was terribly wrong…

"…as the experiment continued," Vexen droned on. He was drunk, but he was sure no one was actually listening, "I noticed—"

The speech was broken by Xemnas' screaming. He was doubled over in pain. Another scream and he lurched forward off of his high throne.

Xigbar and Xaldin jumped off their seats and grabbed him and helped him to the ground.

"I'm sorry. It seems that we are having technical difficulties…" Xigbar stated as Xaldin opened a dark portal, "So we'll meet back here later."

They went through leaving a very confused Organization in their wake. "Was it something I said?" The (drunk!) Academic asked of The Schemer. Zexion shrugged and followed through the open portal.

* * *

"What the hell…" Xigbar said as he watched Number 1 thrash about the room in pain, screaming.

Zexion looked over his shoulder and saw Vexen and Lexaeus follow. They were watching their Superior's "episode."

"Will someone do SOMETHING?!" Xemnas screamed loudly.

Everyone turned to Vexen, M.D. He merely shrugged. He had no clue what was going on, and didn't know how to help. And if he did, he wasn't going to. Revenge could be so simple sometimes.

* * *

Xistum was looking through her chosen synthesis recipe. She needed one more Orichalcum to finish the recipe.

"Will someone do SOMETHING?!" Xistum heard The Superior scream from his room. The recipe could wait a few minutes; she was a curious nobody after all.

She opened the door to his room ever so slightly and saw II through VI watching The Superior acting extremely out of character. He was screaming in pain, "Make it stop!!"

"What's going on?" Xistum said sheepishly from the door.

"We don't know," Xaldin said.

Xistum walked past them and forced Xemnas to sit down on his bed, "What's wrong?"

"Pain…" Xemnas said through clenched teeth and with clenched fists. "I… don't… know… where… it's coming from."

Xistum stared at him in confusion. What could cause pain without any reason?

"I'm shooting the moon here," Xistum said, "but maybe its quantum entanglement."

The others just looked at her, each with their own brand of confusion.

"Einstein called it 'spooky action at a distance.' What happens is that when two particles, like photons, are created at the same time, they become entangled. Whatever forces act upon one of the particle will act upon the other, almost instantly, despite the distances involved. Einstein disliked this because this principle would have to send information as fast, or _faster_ than, the speed of light.

"The same thing has been tested with identical twins. Both would be separate dark rooms, and one would be exposed to light. In the other room, the other twin's brain would register the light along with the twin in the lit room.

"I assume that the same thing would happen with a Nobody and it's Heartless. Both were created at the same time, so maybe he's feeling the pain his Heartless is feeling." Xistum finished her theory.

"It's plausible," Vexen nodded. Any theory was a lot better when he was drunk…

Xemnas fell back on to his bed, screaming and scratching at his eyes. Xistum and Zexion lunged and pulled his hands away, "What's going on?"

"The light!" Xemnas screamed, "It's too bright!"

Vexen flipped off the light switch and Xemnas just screamed louder. He wasn't talking about _that_ light. Can't blame a drunken scientist for trying.

Xemnas stopped struggling and breathed heavily. The pain was gone and so was the light.

"Who turned off the light?" He asked, tired from his 'episode'. Vexen flipped the light back on. Xemnas continued, "Turn it back on."

Xistum looked at him strangely, "It is…" She pulled out a pen light and examined The Superior's yellow-orange eyes. There was no response in his pupils.

She looked to the others with worry, "He's blind…"

Lexaeus stifled a gasp. Xaldin and Xigbar looked to the floor. Zexion began to ponder possible cures. Vexen covered his mouth to hide the grin that was escaping, but nobody else needed to know that. _Karma…_

Xistum stood up from The Superior's bed. She looked down to the blinded man, hanging between consciousness and unconsciousness, "I guess the best thing we can do is let him sleep."

The crowd of Nobodies filed out of the room. Xistum, who was last, ever-so-slightly grinned when she heard a soft snore come from Number I.

"So official diagnosis is what, Dr. Xis?" Xigbar asked coyly.

Xistum closed her eyes and thought of the damaged, golden eyes, "It may be a form of flash blindness."

"Like a flash on a camera?" Lexaeus asked. Xistum nodded.

"But, then, it should be temporary." Xaldin stated to challenge the hypothesis.

"Flash blindness can occur with a one megaton blast from a nuclear weapon, too." Xistum countered, "But, _that's _so intense that it's permanent or at least has lasting effects."

"That doesn't account for the pain he described," Vexen pointed out.

"Maybe his Heartless had a longer exposure to the light, and therefore ultraviolet rays," Zexion added, finally following the tangent Xistum had proposed.

"So you're telling me that Xemnas' Heartless, I dunno, got bored and stared at the sun too long…" Xigbar summed up.

"Coupled with the fact that his Heartless had been in immense pain minutes before," Xistum replied, "Maybe he was being defeated."

"That Keyblading brat," Vexen muttered under his breath.

"So what do we do?" Xaldin asked.

"Nothing." Xistum curtly replied. "Maybe it'll heal. Maybe it won't. Whatever happens, we can't change it."

The group nodded gravely and began to walk down the halls.

Zexion flung his arm over Xistum's shoulders and began to whisper in her ear, "You're sexy when you're being smart."

"Side effect of only having Vexen to talk to for weeks," Xistum brushed off the compliment.

_Vexen! Oh yeah!_ Zexion called out to the Academic, "Vexen, would you kindly explain on why your place within The Organization has been lowered from second-in-command to dead last?"

"Huh?" Vexen pretended, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Does that split lip have anything to do with it?" Xigbar inquired.

"We had an altercation." Vexen shrugged, "That is all."

"What exactly was this 'lover's spat' about?" Xaldin interrogated.

"I don't think it's best to discuss this in present company." Vexen stated coldly. Pun intended.

"Give us the gist of it, my friend," Lexaeus pleaded.

Vexen sighed, "I told him a truth he wished not to hear. It's that simple."

"So…" Zexion smirked, "Did he catch you drinking in the lab again?"

The Chilly Academic, and resident alcoholic, made a sound resembling a burp, "I'll have you know that I didn't touch the C2H6O until after he left."

The others stifled snorts of laughter, while Xistum stood there mortified and confused the empirical formulas, "Dimethyl ether?!"

* * *

It was later that night when we catch up with our sinners, Xistum and Zexion lying in bed together. Xistum was curling up next to her lover when a new memory came back to her.

* * *

She was much younger, and bent down tying her shoe, one of those pure white Keds that never fit her ankle right.

Xistum remembered this scene. It was her sixth birthday party. She was preparing for a good-hearted game of tag. She didn't mean to, but she overheard the conversation at the adult's table.

"I remember the day they were born," a woman with long blonde curls and thin build reminisced. Xistum immediately recognized her, for a child never forgets their mother.

Xistum smiled out of the fondness of the memory, not because she was actually happy. "One came, and then the other just showed up. She couldn't be seen on the ultrasounds. A miracle in the truest sense of the word."

A man with chin length, curly, dark brown hair, merely nodded. Xistum remembered the man. He was this neighbor, Jude was his name, who would come over and play with them or help around the house. He built her a tree house last year for her fifth birthday.

Xistum was drawn up to her feet by a girl in a vibrant pink shirt. Her long hair weighed down her curls, "Come on, sis! You're gonna be It if you don't hurry!"

"I'm coming, Kiseki!" Xistum cried, running after the girl. She absolutely hated being It.

Kiseki… Xistum's twin.

* * *

"Kiseki…" Xistum repeated, now out of her trance like state. She finally remembered her! She would have broke down into tears if she could. What had happened to her?

Xistum jerked up to tell her lover the good news, but didn't, for he was already asleep.

Xistum went to sleep, dreaming of her long _lost_ sister.

* * *

He woke up dazed and confused in the tall grass. He felt the cool, crisp air contrasting with the warm sunlight. The burning pain was gone, especially the pain in his eyes. He opened them and saw, not darkness, but a more beautiful sight.

The orange sunlight gently draped itself over the tall grass blowing in the dawn's breeze, and the only tree for what seemed to be eternity.

He took inventory of himself. He didn't look as he did before he entered the light. He had abandoned his more decorative garb for his lab coat, dampened from lying in the dew coated grass. His skin even looked lighter, even though he had soft shadows cast upon him.

He felt a smile come to upon his face when he heard the laughter; the owner of which was a young woman swinging on a rope swing. He walked over to the female, who seemed to be enjoying herself. He long white gown flowed behind her on every upswing, mimicking her long strawberry-blonde curls.

She looked shocked when she finally noticed the white-haired man, "Oh! Hello! Do you want a turn on the swing?"

He declined in a gentleman like manner. She gave him a sideways glance and a crooked smile before she jumped out of the swing. She tumbled along the ground, laughing wildly until she came to a stop.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he ran over to her.

She waved him off as she sat up, "I'm alright! I do that all the time!"

She picked a few wild flowers and started to link them together in a chain, "My name's Kiseki. What's yours?"

He sat down beside her, picked a wild flower, and twirled it between his fingers, "My name isn't important…"

"Quit being so gloomy!" Kiseki urged, "Now please tell me your name."

He smelled the flower and tossed it aside, just like the name he stole, "My name is Xehanort."

She measured the length of the chain and deemed it long enough. He placed the crown upon her head, "Cool name."

Xehanort looked to the pastel orange and pink clouds above, "Is this heaven?"

"No, silly!" She began working on another chain, "If it was we'd have streets of gold and angels flying around and stuff."

"Well, then…" Xehanort continued, "Where is this?"

She stopped working on the chain of flowers and thought, "Hmm… I don't really know… I came here after I lost Kurai, or maybe she lost me." She smiled and started working on her chain again, "That's it! This is where we go when we're lost and need to be found. Assuming this is true, who did you lose?"

"Everyone…" Xehanort replied gravely.

Kiseki smiled, "Well, you've got a lot of chances to be found then!"

He looked to her with sadness reflecting in his dark brown eyes, "What if no one wants to find me?"

She patted Xehanort's shoulder, "I'm sure someone does."

He smiled back; she was so upbeat, "Do you think you'll be found?"

"Yeah," She hung the now finished chain around Xehanort's neck. He smiled even more as he caught a glimpse of her icy blue eyes, smiling like she was, "Because she remembers me now…"

She looked up to the sky, like she was talking to an old friend, "Isn't that right, Kurai?"

* * *

A/N: yay! No more writer's block! (To the U.S. readers: Happy Labor Day!)

So if you read the teaser Fic, you'll be familiar with this chapter. Again the excerpt was edited to make it flow with the story better.

It seems that the Higgs boson has taken over my life. Oh well.

For those of you who don't know, C2H6O is the empirical (simplest) formula for both dimethyl ether and ethanol (seuff that's in all known drinking alcohols). They are isomers, which mean they are made of the same things but they're arranged differently. Like if you give people some identical LEGO blocks one person will build a house and another will build an airplane. Assuming you give them each the same amount and type of blocks, of course.

Don't ask me why I made Vexen the "resident alcoholic of Organization XIII." He just seems like the one to drink under pressure.

I also made him share a line with Kevin Spacey's character in _21_. Again, I don't know why! My mind isn't wired right, I swear!

Speaking of my mental disorders, I said in Chapter One that Xistum was the newest member of Organization XIII. Turns out she isn't! Hurray for continuity issues!

Now on to the part you've all been waiting for. NEW OC's!

Honestly, Xistum and Kiseki's mom is just there for effect. For my sanity, their father is nonexistent. The "Jude" guy doesn't really matter. He was born from my infamous iPod's shuffle feature. Yes, it did land on "Hey Jude" by The Beatles.

Kiseki: (means "Miracle") very innocent and childlike. Closest thing I'm gonna get to a self- insertion in this Fic. She is the fictional embodiment of my "miracle," my two nieces, both in attitude and physiology.

Kurai: (means "Gloomy/Hopeless") Blank check of awesomeness points (redeemable at The Bank That Never Was branch on XIIIth street) goes to whoever can figure this out, and who can show their work, too! I kinda made it real obvious like. (ACK! My southern accent is taking over! _Help me!!_)

Now as to the location of Kiseki and Xehanort, we shall dub it Elysian Fields. If you get it w/o having to look it up, you are officially a Really Cool Person.

Those who pretend they know what they're talking about, (and I'll know) will get the dreaded "Stupid Stick!"

That is all!

LUV's from Khaos


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

* * *

Xistum knocked gently on The Superior's door, making her presence known. She entered the room and saw Xemnas sleeping soundly.

"Wake up, Superior…" Xistum said in a singsong voice.

"I am awake," Xemnas turned over in his bed, tangled in his sheets.

Xistum walked over the bedside, "It's hard to tell with your eyes closed."

"Why should I even try?" Xemnas sat up in his bed, still in the cloak he wore yesterday. "I can't see anything anyway…"

"Open 'em," Xistum tilted his head up to face her. "I need to examine them."

"So…" Xemnas began as he opened his useless eyes, "why are you examining me instead of one of the others."

"I drew the short straw," Xistum scoffed. Xemnas made a half-hearted attempt at laughter. Pardon the pun.

She shined the LED pen light in his eyes and there was no – Wait! What was that? A sight flicker in his pupil caught Xistum's eye.

Xemnas, oblivious to the fact that the light was shining in his left eye, felt warm. Not hot, but like gentle warmth that encased his body. He felt a cool breeze flow in his sliver locks and—

"Ow! Bright light!" Xemnas turned away, rubbing his eyes furiously. He blinked rapidly to rid himself of the blurry film he seemed to be looking through. His vision was back.

"Welcome back," Xistum smiled, her stoic eyes glinting in the overhead light, "Superior."

Xemnas returned the smile and felt his face heat up substantially. It felt like his Icarian counterpart was flying face first into the sun. He thought darkly, _I wonder if I'll feel him drowning_.

"At least I'll get to see them off," Xemnas said, almost talking to himself.

"Who?" Xistum quizzed.

Xemnas opened his mouth to say something witty about her not paying attention at yesterdays meeting, but that would make him look like an ignorant ass, "Oh, you weren't at the meeting, eh?"

Xemnas explained the extent of the research group's mission at Castle Oblivion. Said group was scheduled to leave later today.

* * *

"Is that other Keyblader related to Roxas somehow?" Xistum inquired.

"One could say that," Xemnas replied with an air of knowing about his statement.

"See?" Xistum joked, "This is why I should be in on the meetings! No more superfluous explanations!"

Xemnas laughed and agreed. His cheeks felt unbearably hot.

Xistum walked out of The Superior's room. She closed the door and a befuddled look came across her face. Was The Superior… Blushing??

* * *

It was about the normal world equivalent of late afternoon when the group made their way to Nothing's Call, the designated meeting place for departure. They were talking about the anomaly known as Xemnas' Vision. They were all aware that eyesight had returned to The Superior.

The group (Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Axel, Marluxia, and Larxene) met with assorted bags filled with possessions. Xistum arrived with Zexion (albeit a tardy arrival for them both) to see her friends off.

"Make sure no one messes up my lab!" Vexen told her while messing up her hair in a very brotherly manner.

Xistum whacked his hands away, "Quit it! Stop it! Now!" They stopped and gave each other a farewell handshake.

Axel struck a cool pose, "Only a loser would come down here to see us off."

Xistum jabbed him in the side and his cool pose was abruptly disturbed. A smirk between the two was all that was exchanged.

Marluxia and Lexaeus gave Xistum handshakes with small goodbyes.

Larxene came walking up to her, clicking her tongue against her teeth. A tense stare was exchanged between them both. Larxene sighed and held her hand out. The women shook hands.

Larxene stood akimbo afterwards, "Now that you've got my respect, don't go wasting it."

Xistum merely nodded. She turned to Zexion, the last in the group. They gave each other an almost sad embrace. Almost.

Zexion leaned into her ear and whispered, "I've got something for you."

Xistum made a 'hmm..' sort of sound as Zexion pulled out a small black box. Xistum opened it. Inside was an ornate silver Nobody symbol hanging on a chain. Like all of those who have that elusive extra 'X' chromosome, she was immediately captivated by the shiny pendant and chain.

"I wanna see you wear it at the video conferences," Zexion smiled. His lips made their way closer to her own, but with no avail. Vexen made a coughing sort of noise, signaling Xemnas had finally arrived.

Xemnas quickly briefed his team one last time before they were off. He said his goodbyes to everyone but Vexen. The two just exchanged a cold glare.

The portal opened and everyone started picking up their stuff. They each walked through one by one until Xistum and Xemnas were left.

Xemnas nodded to her and went on his way. Xistum was the only one left. She pulled out the necklace and latched it onto her neck.

* * *

She waited and waited, secretly hoping that someone forgot something and would come back, if only for a moment. She let out a long sigh, and heard footsteps coming down the walk.

"Are you going to leave anytime soon?" Roxas asked. He had a sling pack strapped onto his back.

"Why?" Xistum asked. She was a curious Nobody, after all.

"What's going on over there," Roxas explained, "It's about me, right? I think I should be involved in it."

"So true," Xistum replied. She winked, "I didn't see anything, okay? Just be careful, little man."

Roxas gave her a thank you/goodbye hug wrapped into one, "You're the best, Xis."

Roxas left, running off to find out about his other side.

Xistum had a chill running up her spine, and the hair on the back of her neck was standing up. It felt like someone was watching her.

But what was even weirder, Xistum could tell that person was sad. That ruled out the rest of the residents of The Castle That Never Was.

Xistum shrugged off the thought and sulked all the way up to The Altar of Naught.

* * *

Kiseki suddenly stopped swinging and clutched her hand over her heart.

"What's wrong?" Xehanort quizzed.

"I just feel sad…" Kiseki replied with a solemn tone.

"Sad?" Xehanort crouched down on the balls of his feet so he could see Kiseki's face. "What for?"

"I don't really know," Kiseki had a crystalline tear trail down her porcelain cheek, "I just have this feeling, like, when you're moving away and you have to tell all of your friends goodbye. You say you'll call and write everyday, but you just know that you won't ever see them again."

She quickly fell from the swing, crying even harder, and embraced Xehanort, "You're not leaving, are you?"

Xehanort returned the embrace and began to stroke the girl's thick curls. He hushed her, "I'm not going anywhere…"

* * *

Xistum stood atop the highest point in the castle. It was about the equivalent of 8:30—ish. She looked to the radiant glow of Kingdom Hearts above her and muttered silently. "Please let there be someone to watch over them, and bring them back safely."

She felt strong hands rubbing on her back, rubbing up and down her spine and across her shoulder blades. She took a quick glance in her peripheral vision to see the hands' owner. She could see olive skin and silver hair, but The Superior's golden orange eyes were closed.

"What were you doing?" he asked softly and… sweetly?

"I was praying," sighed Xistum. He was rubbing out whatever tension he could in her back.

Xemnas' eyebrows furrowed while his eyes were still closed, "To whom?"

Xistum laughed at her own childishness, "I really don't know. I was just hoping that someone would hear me."

Xemnas sat his elbows on her shoulders, his hands crossed and hanging aimlessly in front of her collarbone. He sat his chin on her head, his drowsy eyes open, "I heard you."

Xistum looked up to him. She felt her stomach twist into knots when their eye's connected. She smirked, "I said 'someone', not 'no one.'"

He returned the smile, "Ouch."

She lowered her head and looked to the heart shaped moon above, "Isn't it beautiful?"

His gaze did not leave Xistum. He buried his nose into her lilac hair and breathed deeply, smelling the scent of the rain. He gave her a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

Xistum's stomach felt like it was going to implode because of the knots. She wanted to make it all go away, but she remained still. She was a curious Nobody, after all.

Xemnas finally spoke, "I'm sure those six can take care of themselves. As for _our_ hearts," Xistum turned around, hoping he knew, "I have a good theory that they are in Kingdom Hearts some where."

Xistum frowned. She needed truth, not theory, "Can you prove it?"

"I can test it," Xemnas stated.

"How?" our curious sinner asked.

"Like this…" Xemnas latched his hands around Xistum's neck drawing her in for a kiss.

Xistum didn't fight. She just went with the flow… The knots were gone and were replaced by an almost carefree sensation.

As time passed, the innocence gave way, not to passion, but to possession. Xemnas took this moment in time to claim her.

She heard thunder roll in the distance, and didn't give it much thought. Strike one.

The wind picked up, swirling their cloaks around them. Strike two.

The rain began; each drop stung their hollow skin. They didn't stop. Strike three. They're out.

Through closed eyes they saw a bright light and heard a deafening roar. Xistum screamed but couldn't hear herself over the thunder.

Lightning had struck the other side of The Altar of Naught. Xemnas finally realized that it was raining as hard as it was. _Damn… Ignorance _was_ bliss…._ Xemnas took Xistum's hand and led her down the stairs.

The glow of the moon above lighted their way though the rain. Walking hand in hand with her Superior, Xistum began to think, _That's odd… I thought it would disappear when the rain started. Even odder, it's glowing pink… Weird…_

She saw the tip of a standard issue Organization boot come around the corner. Xemnas saw it too and jerked his hand away from Xistum's. _So we're gonna be a secret, eh?_ Xistum held her hands behind her back.

She saw yellow eyes give her an icy stare under the hood.

"Superior," Saïx said, "We've lost power. The underlings are wondering what they should do."

Xemnas rolled his eyes, "Get candles and tell them to continue with their business."

Xistum joined Xemnas in the eye rolling at the Organization's lack of common sense. Then again, she and their leader were standing on top of the highest point of the castle, during a thunderstorm, with their hoods off. Organization XIII had an abundant supply of geniuses, didn't they?

Xistum saw something swirling out of the corner of her eye. "Whaa?" She walked over to the railing.

Xemnas and Saïx followed her gaze to the swirling vortex of doom in the distance; it was a tornado.

Saïx stared dumbfounded at the phenomenon, "Now that's not something you see everyday."

"Get Xaldin," Xemnas ordered, "Tell him to stop it before it causes too much damage."

"What if it is him?" Saïx asked with as much worry as he could muster.

"Then that's your problem," Xemnas said as he turned away and motioned for Xistum to come with him. "I have more… important issues to handle." Xemnas smirked and flipped his hood up for effect.

Unfortunately, his dramatic gesture backfired. The rain that had collected in his hood cascaded on to his head and down his back. Xistum bit her lip to suppress a laugh; the look on his olive face was priceless.

Saïx sighed, _Don't let him fall, too…_

Saïx disappeared in a portal. Even though Xemnas could hear him go, he looked back to be sure. He grabbed Xistum's hand and led her to his chambers.

* * *

She leaned against his the wall of Xemnas' chamber taking off her boots and socks revealing her only dry body part: her toes.

He poured her a glass of white wine, and she graciously accepted. As she tried to remember from her pub days how to drink wine properly, Xemnas discarded his wet cloak.

Xistum reached around her neck for the necklace Zexion had given her. She was startled that the chain had disappeared. _The one meaningful thing I get around here ad I lose it… Great! Just great!_

She stared at her wiggling toes through the wine glass as Xemnas turned on his stereo—a gift from Demyx. The guitar played airy, melancholic chords.

Xistum immediately recognized the song from her past life. She wished she didn't.

* * *

It was really late when the storm came. There was a lot of thunder and lightning, and a seven year old Kiseki was scared. Xistum and her sister went into their secret hideout which doubled as their closet. The wind was roaring and rain was pelting the windows, just like Xistum's present.

The seven year old Xistum sniffed the air; she didn't know that it was smoke at the time, "I'm gonna be right back, Kiseki."

"Don't leave me, Kurai!" Kiseki cried. That's right. Her real name was Kurai.

"I'll come back to you! I promise!" little Kurai promised. Xistum didn't want to remember anymore…

She remembered the hissing sound and the crackle of flames. Before she could call out to her mother or Kiseki, the house exploded.

She woke up lying on the ground outside the remains of her house. The charred wreckage was steaming from the rain. She'd expected to cry, but she didn't.

She saw the flashing lights of the fire truck and ran. She wanted to be thought dead, too. She thought that she was guilty…

She made it to the very center of town when she stopped to watch a young man play a beat up guitar out side the pub that she would call her future home.

"_And I don't want the world to see me_

'_Cause I don't think that they'd understand._

_If everything's made to be broken _

_I just want you to know who I am."_

He stopped playing and noticed Kurai's soot covered face, ripped clothes and burnt skin, "Hey kid, what's your name?"

She opened her mouth to say Kurai, but she was lying dead with little Kiseki and her mother. "My name is Tsumi."

* * *

Xistum absent-mindedly walked over to the stereo. She finally knew why she was a Nobody. Kiseki was her heart… the heart she never had… but was with her, for a time

She flipped off the stereo. "What's wrong?" Xemnas asked. He had a towel from his bathroom and was rubbing his hair dry.

"I just," Xistum didn't want him to know about the memory, "I don't really like this song."

Xemnas discarded the towel and smiled, "Its okay. I really don't like it, either."

She downed her glass of wine and placed the empty glass on his desk. She walked over to the large window that framed the moon. It wasn't glowing some weird color now.

Xemnas clutched Xistum's shoulders with ungloved hands and kissed up her neck hungrily. He reached around her neck and began to unzip her cloak.

Xistum knew where this was going. She finished unzipping her cloak for him and slipped it off, revealing her black tank top underneath. Yeah, that's where it was going.

With her cloak shed from ivory skin, she turned and kissed him, her hands on his bare chest. His hands drifted to her hips as Xistum's terrible memory took up space in the back of her mind.

Xemnas picked Xistum up and laid her down gently on his black and white clad bed. He was practically laying on top of her when he said,

"_Don't you worry about a thing_

_No, 'cause I got you here with me_

_Don't you worry about a--_

_Just you and me_

_Floating through the empty, empty_

_Just you and me_

_Oh graces_

_Oh grace—_"

* * *

Later on (their only clue time was passing was the intervals between the rain) the two lay tangled in black satin sheets. Xistum was curled in a ball beside her Superior, her left hand on his physical heart, just to feel it beating.

He held her head in the crook of his elbow. His face was bent downward to see her.

Lightning struck very close again, and Xistum jumped a little. She was scared, just like Kiseki on that night.

She felt something warm and wet trail down her cheek. Her free right hand reached up and caught the thing. She saw her first tear in over sixteen years glint in the reddish moonlight.

She looked up to Xemnas with a worried look. He merely smiled, "Its okay. Just sleep now."

She laid her head down and bent her head down close to her chest. Xemnas could tell she was thinking, even with her eyes closed.

He looked to the red moon with knowing. The tear was a sign that her lost heart had communicated with her across space and time. The lost heart was deep inside Kingdom Hearts, somehow unaffected by the surrounding darkness. His experiment had opened that connection lost so long ago.

Xistum laid there, thoughts racing. She wished that the memory would go away and take that memory of guilt with it, the same guilt that she felt now, because of what she had done to Zexion. The guilt felt so real though, like it was _more than a memory_.

* * *

A/N: YAY! New chapter! Everyone do the happy dance of glee!

And wow! That has to be some sort of slut record! And She lost the necklace! Way to go, Xis!

Bad, Khaos! Don't degrade your own OC, especially since she can kick your ass.

So we learned more of Xistum's back story, and I made up some random reason for Roxas to go to CO. I heard that he showed up at the end of RE:CoM so there he is! And It also seems like Saïx is a little worried about his Superior. Don't worry, Saïx has been fixed... I'm really proud of that part...

The song that's in Xistum's memory was Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls. I just thought it would fit really well. The song Xemnas references is When The World Ends by Dave Matthews Band. I command you all to go listen (or at the very least go look up the freaking lyrics!) to the song. If you're not going to do anything else for me, please just listen to that song. PLEASE!!

Now the real question is: Was Vexen drunk or not? The world may never know...

My faithful readers, reviewers and dear friends, I regret to say that, for the time being, my updates on any of my stories shall be delayed. I'm not going to let the fic die, understand? It's just that real life issues are getting in the way.

I have most of 7DS planned out to the point that I can see it play in my mind. I've also got a lot of chapters or chapter segments written out. Its just now a matter of getting them on to my computer. If only I could type faster…

I have told one of my readers that I was going to sell my soul to my computer so I could get my Fics up faster. Unfortunately, it seems that I have sold my soul to the periodic table of the elements beforehand. So I gave my computer an I.O.U. that shall pass on to you all.

Updates will come… albeit very spaced out…. Hey! Anticipation is half of the pleasure!

That is all.

LUV's from Khaos


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8_

* * *

Time was fading at The Castle That Never Was. Time was fading, and no one had a clue about the intent of Xistum's regular visits to The Superior. Xistum missed those who went to Castle Oblivion (Vexen would send regular updates on their mission regarding the Keyblader and his friend who had shown up there also), but this was now. Right now was all that she had.

She had made new allies out of the five members she usually had nothing to do with.

Luxord could always find something enjoyable to do. Always, and thus earning himself Xistum's unofficial title of "Time Waster."

Xigbar called her "Rabbit's Foot" because of his tendency to get in trouble with Xemnas, but when she was in on it, "'ol Mr. Superior" would take it easy on them both.

Saïx had half-way forgiven her. He no longer growled at her when passing her in the halls. That's progress, right?

Xaldin and she had an overall love-hate relationship. Each would try to say the most witty/sarcastic/just plain cold thing they could to each other. Luckily, they both knew how to take a joke.

Demyx had become her overall best friend. They would sing, dance, play card games when Luxord would let them, and just hang out. Demyx earned himself a special sight in Xistum's mind.

On one wet, lamentable night, Demyx and Xistum were singing songs on the new stereo Demyx had bought her.

"Do you get everyone in this castle a stereo for a gift?" Xistum asked in the lull between songs.

"Nah," Demyx smiled, "I get them CD's sometimes, too."

The two laughed, but the laughter was quickly broken. "You two better head on to the meeting room now," Xigbar ordered. "Xemnas' orders."

Xistum and Demyx glanced to each other; both had ice running through their veins. They both jumped up and made their way to Where Nothing Gathers.

* * *

They arrived in the large room as Saïx and Luxord were talking about why they were there.

"Do you two know what's this is about?" Xistum called to them.

Saïx answered her back as Xaldin and Xigbar entered, "I don't know. No one does."

"Its awfully late for a normal meeting," Luxord pondered aloud.

Xaldin growled, "He better not send us on some stupid late night mission. I need my beauty sleep."

"Beauty sleep? You need a freaking beauty _coma_!" Xistum spat out for the daily win.

Xigbar laughed as Xaldin realized that he just kinda walked into that one. "Good one, 'Rabbit's foot'!"

"Quiet down!" Xemnas bellowed through the acoustic room. His usual calm demeanor was gone as The Organization (and 'Houseguest') took their seats.

Everyone caught on to the slight crack of their Superior's voice. Demyx looked over to Xistum with a 'What's going on?' look plastered on his face.

Xistum could only reply with a look that said 'We're screwed…'

"I received an urgent message from Axel," Xemnas began to explain. "He said something has gone wrong at Castle Oblivion, and was returning at once."

"Tell that bastard to get his ass back there!" Saïx retorted.

"I know Axel," Xigbar began, "and he's stubborn and a fighter. He wouldn't have left unless things have gotten really bad."

_Oh no…_ Xistum's stomach sank and her blood ran cold. _Please let the others be okay… Please…_

"I told him to arrive here," Xemnas finished, "and to share his news with us."

"So what do we do?" Xistum said with her heart beating in her throat.

"Wait. What else can we do?" Xemnas told her with an almost comforting stare. Almost.

Time was fading fast, and Xistum could feel the falling dark as she waited for Axel and whoever else had survived.

Luckily her wait wasn't long. Axel came through a corridor of darkness, dragging along an unconscious Roxas.

"What happened to him?" Xigbar asked before anyone else could get a word in.

Axel was panting and sweating as he replied, "I had just found him. He had run away to Castle Oblivion, knowing that this was about him. He told me that he thought he needed to know. He tried to make contact with his other's friend but, I quickly knocked him out."

"What?" Xaldin said. "I didn't know the kid was gone…"

"He's becoming curious," Saïx commented. "Curiosity is a liability."

"What of Naminè?" Luxord asked.

"This guy named DiZ showed up," Axel explained, "He was there to screw around with that Riku kid's heart and stuff. He took Naminè under his wing and told her to fix up Sora's memory. We've lost her…"

"Dammit," Xigbar muttered.

Xistum sat wearily as there was one last question that needed to be answered. The one question she didn't have the heart to ask. Literally.

"What about the others?" Xemnas asked solemnly. He was slightly aware of the answer, but wished his intuition was wrong.

Axel bowed his head, "Faded away, sir. That Keyblader and his friend did them in."

"Well," Saïx bellowed, "Why aren't you lying in a grave with them?"

"Because Sora couldn't know about his other side." Axel defended himself, "Roxas can't go just yet or this whole gig is up."

Xemnas stopped listening after his question had been answered. His blood ran cold and he couldn't bear to look at the empty thrones any longer. Not even Vexen's. "We're going to relocate to the library."

"Why, Superior?" Saïx asked.

"Besides the fact that I am above you and you should listen to what I say," Xemnas used anger to hide his sadness, "all the good alcohol is in there."

Saïx was taken aback at The Superior's statement. Xemnas had never lashed out to Saïx before.

"A drink may be the best thing right now," Luxord stated plainly.

"I think I'll pass," Demyx said. He looked over to where Xistum was sitting, but she had already gone.

* * *

Xistum was outside her door, jiggling the stuck doorknob. It's been doing that a lot lately. Xistum was posing to kick her own door in when—

"Oi! You!" A small, cloaked figure yelled at Xistum. She held out a chain with an ornate Nobody symbol on it. "This yours?"

"Yeah!" Xistum ran over and took it from her. "Where did you find it?"

"Ruin and Creation's Passage," the cloaked figure replied. "Be more careful with that."

As she turned away, Xistum asked, "Haven't seen you around before. What's your name kid?"

The 'kid' threw off her hood and said, "Xion."

"Well, then," Xistum reached for the door knob, which magically turned this time, "Thanks Xion."

Xistum entered her room, and put the chain where it belonged: around her neck. She couldn't help for that sense of guilt and sadness to come back to her.

She sighed and noticed her computer blinking. She had a new video message that was sent late last night.

Xistum opened up her messages and saw it was from Vexen. She thought that the old coot hit the wrong button and sent her the message by mistake. Nevertheless, Xistum watched the message.

Vexen was sitting at the desk he used to give status updates from. His hands were clasped in front of his mouth. It looked like he was contemplating something dark.

"Xistum," Vexen spoke, "this message is for your eyes only. I'm afraid that the Keyblade Master and his friend will be too powerful for anyone in this castle… or the castle the rest are at. This may be my final message, but there is something you need to know, Kurai."

Xistum's eyes went wide in shock. How did he know? As if Vexen could read her thoughts, he answered.

"I know because I was the one who found you that night. You were fighting your way through the Heartless. Well, you were trying at least. Can you remember?"

She paused the video. The memory was coming back to her.

* * *

It was the night her world faded into darkness. She remembered traversing the cold darkness that swallowed her world. It was so, so cold. She remembered the sensation of being pushed through a solid wall, and seeing the other side.

It was a dark city with nondescript neon signs glowing in the puddles from a recent rain. She saw the lightning flash and the thunder roar. She looked up to the sky and saw the now familiar heart-shaped moon, and the castle she had called home.

Her moment of observation was over when the Heartless had found her. She used her flimsy katana against the hordes of Heartless; however, the Heartless seemed unaffected.

The Heartless charged her and took her down to the ground, making her hit her head hard. She felt the blood seeping out of her skull, and the darkness was winning. _Now she's falling hard. Feels the fall of dark_…

As the Heartless began to tear at her chest searching for a heart, shards of ice went flying through some and a blade of ice destroyed the rest that were attacking her.

Her savior lowered his shield and revealed the blonde hair and emerald eyes that were undeniably Vexen's. He seemed shocked that there was someone under that pile.

She remembered, right before she blacked out, his strong hands picking her up. "Are you okay?"

"Tsumi…Tsumi…My name… Tsumi"

* * *

She started the video back up again, another piece of her puzzle made apparent.

"When I got you back to the lab, I noticed a bracelet on your wrist. It was a locket, and I took it from you. To protect you, that is. From what? Your memories, I guess. I don't really know. I put it in your desk for safe keeping. It's yours, now. Like it should have always been. Sorry."

Xistum stopped the video again and rummaged through her desk. She found a slightly tarnished heart locket hanging on a thin chain. It was her sixth birthday present. She opened the little heart and found a picture of her mother, Kiseki, Jude and herself. Opposite the picture was an inscription that had kept Xistum going through the years,

"_Don't ever give up, Kurai!_

_Love, _

_Mommy, Kiseki, and Jude."_

Xistum smiled and pulled the locket off the chain and threaded it onto the same chain that Zexion had given her.

She started the video back up again.

"There is something you need to know," Vexen continued with his usual air of knowing. "Xemnas is using you for not only his lustful intentions, but as a tool for entrance into Kingdom Hearts. He was supposed to accompany us here, but stayed behind for you… may be the inevitable outcome may have been altered a bit then, huh? I'm afraid that when you are no longer useful, Xemnas will have you done in."

"Kingdom Hearts?" Xistum asked of Vexen, thinking that he would somehow answer from beyond the grave. "I've heard about it, but I don't know what it is…"

"If that time comes, use your element, Kurai. Use your sin to its fullest. 'Don't ever give up, Kurai.'" Vexen laughed gently, "Who am I kidding? You already know this. I know that you'll survive no matter what that bastard throws at you. I'm confident of that."

Xistum saw the door behind him open. Zexion was standing there, "Vexen, we may—Oh! I'm sorry for interrupting!"

Vexen ushered Zexion over to the computer, telling him it was for his left-behind lover. Vexen promptly left so Zexion could say what he needed to.

"Hey there, love." Zexion said as Xistum felt a tear fall from her cheek. "How is it over there? Probably a lot quieter with out Axel there, eh?"

He laughed, and Xistum's hands began to shake. Tears were flowing freely from her eyes now.

"But in all due seriousness, I do miss you," Zexion's visible eye twinkled a bit. "Maybe when we get our hearts back, we can fall in love for real. Notice I said _when _not _if._ I'll come back to you. I promise." Xistum felt her stomach tie itself into knots at the familiar promise.

Zexion looked over his shoulder as if someone was calling for him. "I've got to go, babe. Message me back, alright?" Zexion waved as he terminated the message.

If Xistum had a heart, this is where it would shatter. Not break, but shatter in to a thousand crystal shards that would cause more pain than its worth to put it back together again. Xistum shut down the computer and began to cry hysterically.

"I'm sorry, Zexion, for being such a slut. I'm sorry, Vexen, for lying to you when it was you who saved me. I'm sorry, Kiseki, for not keeping my promise…"

* * *

Xistum crashed into the library with tear redden eyes. She wasn't mad… she was _pissed_. Not only at herself, but also Xemnas.

Her sudden entrance startled everyone there. Xigbar got his lovely alcoholic beverage splashed into his nose. Saïx dropped the book he was reading. Xaldin looked up from the unconscious Roxas he was examining. Luxord had to play Fifty-Two Card Pick-up… Axel woke up from his slumber on the big, comfy couch. Yet Xemnas only lifted his gaze from his work as he sat in a big, over stuffed chair.

"You _bastard_!" Xistum screamed at The Superior, "You were supposed to go with them! They would still be alive if you did!"

"I couldn't." Xemnas stammered out, feeling five sets of interested eyes gaze at him. He dared not to look at them, "You needed more training, more guidance."

"For what?" Xistum scoffed, "Me to be your sex toy?"

_Ignorance was bliss…_

Three of the Organization merely sat there with nothing but 'What the hell?' looks plastered on their faces. Saïx lowered his head and muttered something about paying the Devil his dues. Xigbar did a spit take, sending his lovely beverage through the air, "SAY WHAT?!"

"Now, love," Xemnas hissed through his teeth, "Let's not make a scene…"

"No," Xistum stated flatly. She summoned her dual blades and spun them dramatically on her palms. She slammed them together with a force that made sparks fly. "Let's."

She lunged for her deceiver with all her fury in her strikes. She didn't really care how she brought him down. She would swing both blades at him with all her might, slicing through anything that got in the way. She would even jump and swing at him while upside down, but he would quantum leap away. Xistum was quick and the constant teleporting was more of an annoyance than a challenge.

Xemnas never once drew his weapons in the library, instead he sent thorns of nothingness at her; he needed to subdue her, not kill her. She couldn't dodge the thorns quick enough and was getting scraped up. Again, more of an annoyance than a challenge.

"_Nothing exists except for the atom and the void. Everything else is opinion."_ Democritus said that…

_Wait a minute! Xemnas' element is nothingness, a nothingness that contains unlimited energy. He can manipulate that energy, and these thorns are such a result… energy solidified for only a moment… so maybe…_

Xemnas sent out another wave of thorns and Xistum brought her foot up. She kicked off of them, sending her closer to The Superior faster than before.

Xemnas made an executive decision and attempted to teleport away. Xistum had grabbed his ankle at just the right time and was brought along for the ride.

* * *

The two materialized in front of Memory's Skyscraper. Xistum didn't miss a beat. She began to attack Xemnas again, throwing in a few high kicks for good measure. She took her blades and sliced a large "S" into his chest, where his heart should have been. He was marked for his crime.

Xemnas drew his Aerial Blades and started to take the offensive. He knew a draw wouldn't satisfy her blood lust.

Xistum could hold her own under normal circumstances. Alas, these we not normal circumstances. Xistum was blinded by tears of fury and was in a tired state which made her prone to accident.

This 'accident' came in the form of Xemnas slicing out a chunk of the muscle in Xistum's left bicep. It was just gone, leaving a trail of burned, bleeding, and missing flesh.

It hurt. It hurt like _hell_. But Xistum had to keep that promise to Vexen. She had to survive. She had to fight. She just swung with even more wrath.

Xemnas sliced through her again and again and again. Xistum was slowly becoming a very poorly built ragdoll.

Xistum ran quickly up to the top of the skyscraper, licking her wounds and deciding whether or not to continue. Xemnas stood below and watched Xistum's memories play on the screen.

"_A miracle in the truest sense of the word."_

"_Come on, sis! You're gonna be It if you don't hurry!"_

"_That's it! YOU ARE FIRED!"_

"_My name: Xemnas."_

"_This is our new 'Houseguest.'"_

"_Are you okay?"_

"_Don't leave me, Kurai!"_

"_I'll come back to you. I promise!"_

"_Xemnas is using you… I know you'll survive whatever that bastard throws at you. I'm confident of that."_

"_Maybe when we get our hearts back, we can fall in love for real— I'll come back to you. I promise."_

Xistum's mind just shut down. She felt so empty, so used up, so let down, so angry…

_Just get up._ Xistum thought to herself. But she couldn't. In combination with the pain she felt and the memories echoing in the empty streets, she threw her weapons off the building and sunk to her knees, crying.

Through the blurry tears, she saw her deceiver's feet in front of her. She heard the humming of the Aerial Blades and pleaded, "Go ahead! Kill me! Do it! I'm ready! I have nothing to live for anymore…."

She looked up to Xemnas with lifeless eyes, "Please…"

He saw that her strength, her will to survive, had left her. If this was any other member, they would have been dead by now. But Xistum wasn't just any other member. His weapons disappeared and she was spared, to her dismay. She hung her head, tears streaming.

He lifted her in his arms and carried her through a portal of darkness.

* * *

They arrived in the lab and Xemnas spent his time sewing Xistum back together again. She neither helped nor resisted his efforts.

Xemnas was finishing up when he urged, "Xistum, look at me."

She didn't. "_Kurai_, look at me…"

She ignored him again. He pushed her face to look at him but her eyes didn't follow. "Look at me, damnit," He said sternly. Her melancholic eyes drifted to him like she was in some sort of trance.

"I have reasons for my actions," He explained. "I care for you. By definition, I'm not supposed to, but since that day I went blind, the connection to my heart was reopened. It told me that your heart was there near it. I did what I needed to reopen the connection in between you and your heart.

"I just thought that it would be like anything I had done before, that I would be disconnected from it. But I underestimated the power of a heart, even one that has to traverse space and time to communicate with me. I guess I know how you feel now…"

Xemnas began, against all reason, to cry. Even Xistum in her trancelike state thought 'What the Hell?'

Xemnas tried to suck it up and mutter out, "I'm sorry." He left in another portal.

* * *

Xistum returned to her room, still in her trance, and lay on her bed. She wished that the connection between her and her heart was gone. Feeling nothing would be so much better right now.

She heard a timid knock at the door. It was Demyx, "Hey Xis, I heard about what happened… are you gonna be okay?"

No answer. "I know! We'll sing! You love this song…" Demyx turned on the stereo.

"_I'm in the business of misery…"_

Xistum usually loved this song but not tonight…

"_Second chances, they don't ever matter, people never change._

_Once a whore, you're nothing more, I'm sorry that will never change."_

Xistum summoned a blade and flung it into the stereo. She didn't need to hear what she already knew…

Demyx sat down on the edge of the bed, noting her severe injuries. "Please sing. Please? When you sing, I know that everything will be okay. So please sing…"

Xistum turned to him and saw tears welling in his eyes, "Hey, don't cry man."

She sat up, hissing in pain, "You shouldn't have to have someone else tell you its gonna be okay. They can lie… I can lie…"

"The words can, but not your voice. Your voice can't lie," Demyx began to cry. "I guess those guys are right. I am just a big wimp…"

"Hey!" Xistum clenched her teeth, "Don't let anyone call you a wimp. Not even me. Crying doesn't make you a wimp. I cry a lot at night… when no one could hear me… Hell, Xemnas cried tonight, like the little baby he is! " Xistum laughed, trying to make her friend feel better. She felt like crying, but she needed to stay strong…

"Really?!" Demyx started laughing so hard, he cried. "That big wimp!"

The laughs died down and Xistum's smile faded. "God have mercy on the poor soul who calls you a wimp in front of me. I'll beat them to a pulp, I swear. And if I'm not there, show 'em how you can fight. Fight to the death, but don't give up. You hear me, Dem? _Don't ever give up_…"

* * *

Xemnas was standing atop The Altar of Naught, using the rain to hide his tears. He sniffled slightly.

"Catching a cold or is that contrition?" The Luna Diviner sneered. He received no answer.

"I hate to say I told you so but…" Saïx began in a sing song voice, "I knew that girl would be trouble from the start. I remember Number VI describing her, and I immediately knew. Did you listen? Nooo… You had—"

"That's enough." Xemnas growled. He didn't need to hear what he already knew.

Xemnas sighed, "Do you ever wonder what makes up a heart?"

Saïx stayed silent, intent on hearing The Superior's thoughts.

"Do you ever wonder why the heart can succumb to darkness whilst the soul stands strong, albeit broken, beaten and damned?" Xemnas turned to see his second-in-command.

Saïx meekly shook his head. He took note of the bloody gauze patch over Xemnas' chest, along with his other injuries.

"Maybe the soul provides a Somebody light, and the heart a darkness." Xemnas pondered aloud. "Maybe all that a heart can feel is anger and hate…"

* * *

He awoke in tall grass that tickled the skin under the hole in his cloak. His gaping wound that sent him here was gone, leaving only a scar.

Zexion saw his colleagues conversing in the grass under a lone tree. Everyone seemed more serene here. Larxene even seemed less bitchy here.

Zexion saw the man in the white coat and smiled. He knew the man from his past life. He made attempts to talk to him, but Xehanort kept turning away.

"He thinks he shouldn't have the right to talk to any of you. I think that's stupid. I mean, you two were friends, right?" a certain strawberry-blonde asked.

Zexion nodded. She smiled as she hung a chain of flowers around his neck, "I see you're still on the short side."

Zexion growled before he had actually caught what she said, "Do I know you?'

"Kinda," She said, "but I don't think you'd remember."

"Try me," Zexion challenged.

"You, Kurai, and me all used to be friends, remember, Ienzo? This is where we'd go after school and we'd play. I remember you and Kurai chasing me around one day, pretending you were Velociraptors…"

Zexion had all these memories rush back to him of times when he was happier. Times when he knew nothing of darkness, only light. He wished he could feel happy…

"That's why our tree is here!"

Zexion's eyes lit up as he took note of his surroundings. He saw the branches he once swung from, the swing he pushed both Kurai and Kiseki on, and the tree house that Jude built. He also remembered the reason why he forgot all of this.

It was the twin's sixth birthday party and Kurai and his younger self were fighting over who should be it. He remembered Kurai punching him in the jaw and knocking one of his baby teeth out. He remembered his initial shock but then his intense anger and hate. It was the first time darkness entered his heart. He remembered the lightning flash and the rain starting to fall… The rain…

Zexion moaned and threw his head back in self disgust. If only he had figured it out sooner.

"It's okay," Kiseki comforted her friend. "The old guy over there said she couldn't remember her name either… What did you call her?"

"Xistum," Zexion said gravely. His memories and recent experiences had come full circle.

"Is this heaven?" Zexion asked as he remembered this thing from a book he read. 'The purpose of heaven is to see your life explained.'

"Nope!" Kiseki said, secretly getting tired of having to explain this, "It's more like a dream world where there is no pain. We can just wait to be found."

"That's why our 'dreaming tree' is here," Zexion postulated, "because you created this realm."

"I was the only one here for a while. Then Xehanort showed up and then the old man who told me how Kurai was doing. He said that she changed since the last time I saw her... and said the same about you." Kiseki's face was solemn. "Will you tell me how you've changed?"

"I grew up." Zexion's face mimicked her solemnity, but quickly changed. "Hey! Is _it _still here?"

Kiseki nodded and Zexion went climbing up to the tree house.

* * *

"The criminal needs to be punished," Saïx said. He was tired of the silence Xemnas had attained as the rain poured atop the Altar of Naught.

"She does not wear the mark of one," He defended Xistum, even though she attacked him. He honestly thought he deserved it.

"Marked or not," Saïx continued, "we must show what it means to turn against your Organization, sir."

Xemnas sighed and nodded his head in agreement. He didn't need any revolutionaries getting the idea that he was a pushover.

Saïx turned to leave, "I'll retrieve her at once."

"No," Xemnas said, turning and leaving himself, "Let her sleep…"

* * *

A/N: Thus ends the climax of my tale. Whoo-frickin-hoo… Brownie points for a Xion cameo and getting a backstory on some of the Org. member's psychology!

I've been channeling Dave Matthews Band this chapter, making numerous allusions to "The Dreaming Tree." I've been on a DMB binge, trying to get "Hey Jude" out of my head. Yes it's a great song, but having it in your head for two consecutive weeks drives you insane! This coming from some one who is already insane… Its not working by the way… Laugh at my misfortune... please...

Songs featured: "Riot" by Three Days Grace and "Misery Business" by Paramore.

I have (sorta) good news. The Periodic Table no longer owns my soul! Heisenberg and his uncertainty principle came along and stole it… I need to make out a new I.O.U.

I'd like to thank The Magnificent Tim Fortune for being the first to favorite my story. He would get one of my coveted fedoras but I've already given him one…

Now for once in my manipulative life I am forcing you all to listen to Xemnas and let me sleep…

Good night and good bye

LUV's from Khaos


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

* * *

Xistum awoke to strong hands pulling her out of bed after her peaceful six hours of sleep. "What's going on?"

"Time for your punishment, Sinner," Saïx dragged her out of bed and across the room.

"What for?" Xistum asked sleepily. She rubbed her eyes.

Saïx growled as he was becoming impatient, "You've committed a crime and therefore need to be punished."

"Can't argue with that logic," Xistum scratched at her arm where the stitches were. They had bled in the night leaving sticky blood flaking on her skin. "As a last request, can I get a shower?"

Saïx scowled at her and thought for a minute before letting her go. She made her was to the bathroom as he followed her in.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Xistum turned and snapped.

"Making sure you don't escape," Saïx snapped back.

Xistum sighed and pushed him out of the bathroom, "Where do I have to run?"

* * *

The others were waiting atop The Altar of Naught.

"Anyone seen Roxas?" Xigbar asked.

Axel sighed, "He left last night. He's been having dreams about his other and wanted to go find him on his own."

"May he have good luck on his journey," Luxord said.

"Why bless a traitor as we condemn The Sinner?" Xaldin asked of both Luxord and his Superior.

"She is useless and a danger to the Organization now," Xemnas answered, trying to convince his Organization and himself. "I saw that her will was broken last night…"

Demyx swallowed, trying to keep tears in check, "Isn't that punishment enough?"

Xemnas had no time to ponder the truth in Number IX's statement; Saïx arrived with The Sinner.

"What took you two so long?" Xaldin asked.

"Cut-throat bitch wanted a shower as the last request," Saïx stated like Xistum had no reason to elaborate.

"Let's get this over with…" Xigbar sighed, clearly wishing this didn't have to happen… or at least he wasn't here to see it.

Xemnas nodded gravely, "Xistum, by my power I hereby charge you with treason against The Organization. How do you plea?"

"Guilty, sir" Xistum said with her eyes fixated on The Superior's. Her shallow grey eyes lacked the usual contrition that came with a guilty plea.

"Whoa! What?" Xigbar was stunned, "You not gonna put up a fight, Xissy?"

"I may be The Sinner," Xistum answered, her eyes not leaving The Superior's, "But I will not deny what is true."

"By pleading guilty," Xemnas continued, "you agree to give up your weapon…" Xemnas trailed off as he held out his hand.

Xistum summoned her dual blades and handed them over, "It can't be too easy, can it?"

Saïx sneered, "Not everything in life can be as easy as you."

"Hold your tongue, Number VII," Xemnas growled as he crushed the blades in his grip. A simple crunch and they were fading away. Xemnas continued, "With your plea, you allow yourself to be stripped from The Organization, like you were never one of us at all."

"You ignorant ass!" Xistum snapped. "I was never apart of this 'Organization.' I was just here. I never existed. Not now. Not ever."

"None of us were," Xaldin stated coldly.

"But even _we_ have a tombstone to call our own," Xigbar stated.

"Sinner," Xemnas continued, trying to remain stoic, "you are hereby sentenced to exile in The Dark Realm. Say your goodbyes."

Xistum finally took her eyes off of Xemnas and turned to her remaining friends. She walked to Xigbar, "Don't get in _too_ much trouble…"

Xigbar hugged her, "You too, 'Rabbit's foot'."

Axel came to her and gave her a handshake and a hug wrapped into one, "Take care, Xis."

"If you see Roxas," Xistum said, "Make sure to tell him that I'm gonna miss him, okay?"

"You and me both," Axel said as he waved her off.

Luxord gave her a farewell handshake, "Be careful in there."

"_You_ be careful out here," Xistum said, trying a bit of dark humor to lighten the mood. It didn't work…

She saw Demyx sniffling and mumbling out a song. Xaldin hit him in the head, "You're making us look bad, you wimp!"

"HEY!" Xistum yelled and shoved Xaldin hard. "Don't call him a wimp! You're just saying that so you think you're stronger. And I can't see how he can make this 'Organization' look any worse with you around…"

"Staring into your demise," Xaldin hissed, "and you're still trying to make a joke."

"Technically," Xistum smirked and pointed in Xemnas' direction, "my demise is that a way. You seriously lack a sense of direction…"

Xaldin could only chuckle. She was right…

She turned her full attention to Demyx, who was still crying and mumbling the song, Xistum recognized the song and lifted Demyx's chin, "_Say your goodbyes if you got someone you can say goodbye to_."

Demyx could tell that Xistum was scared but was trying to be strong for him. He latched on to her, "I'll always remember what you said to me. Always."

"I'll keep singing, just for you," Xistum's voice shook.

Xistum turned to The Superior, "I'm ready."

"What?" Saïx sneered, pouring salt into the wound. "I don't get a goodbye?"

"Fuck you," She snarled.

"Too bad you didn't get a chance to," Saïx sarcastic demeanor faded.

Xistum growled and punched Saïx square in the face. He hit the ground dazed and confused. He looked to Xemnas with an 'Aren't you gonna do anything?' look. Xemnas merely stated, "I said to hold your tongue."

Saïx stood up, lapping blood from his upper lip. Xemnas raised his hand and Saïx did the same. "This would be easier if that Keyblader waited for a few more days."

"You're telling me," Xigbar stated as he and the others joined them. They were all had to work together as they opened the portal to The Dark Realm through the heart shaped moon. The moon was beginning to wane in front of their eyes.

The portal was opened, and Saïx attempted to push Xistum through. She knocked him away, "I'm not gonna run now…"

She took a deep breath and began to walk.

Xemnas put his hand on her shoulder. He wanted to say something, but just couldn't.

"You don't want me to go, do you?" Xistum asked with her eyes closed. She waited for a reply but only received silence.

She knocked his hand away swiftly and a single tear fell, "But I guess it just doesn't matter…"

Her eyes opened and she twisted her face into a scowl. She called upon fury and rage to keep her going. It almost didn't work. Almost.

* * *

She entered the portal and was instantly flung into a bright, bright light. It was warm, yet Xistum's hollow skin felt as cold as ever.

The light faded away, leaving Xistum on a dark sand shore by a midnight sea. The light was still there albeit far off into the horizon, causing flecks of light to be reflected on the sea. The light speckled sea and its light source cast silhouettes of tree like branches towering above the water. She looked to the other side and saw mountains as far as she could see.

Xistum made a "heh"-like sound and began to sing like Kiseki would,

"_And ain't it kinda funny, at the dark end of the road,_

_Someone lights the way with a single ray of hope…"_

Her voice echoed the empty notes across the realm. Maybe someone would hear her. She sighed and kicked her feet at the sand, deciding what to do. She looked to the mountains, away from the light, and they didn't look so tough to climb.

"I've got nothing but time on my hands…" She thought aloud.

She walked over to the base of the mountains, began to climb, and dreamt of what was on the other side.

* * *

The remaining seven of The Organization watched as their Kingdom Hearts fade away (Saix felt lightheaded and dizzy because of it). Xemnas' connection with his heart was fading away, also. The recently neglected logic and reason portion of his brain was coming in loud and clear. Any contrition he had felt was long gone. Es obvio, no?

"Number VIII," Xemnas ordered with a clear mind, "You are in charge of bringing back XIII. Use any force necessary."

"Why me?" Axel sighed, "He _is _my best friend. Why should I have to be his executioner?"

"He will not fall to fate so easily," Xemnas snapped. "And _NEVER_ question me again."

Axel huffed and walked off. The others began to follow him off of The Altar of Naught. Saix turned before he left, holding his head in case it, you know, came off. "Nice to have you back, Superior."

Xemnas didn't answer. He thought for a moment, but his train of thought was disrupted by twinkling lights in the distance: stars. These stars in the eastern sky have not been seen in ages, blinded by the relative brightness of the moon. He began to wonder if he would miss Xistum or that transcending connection with his heart. He knew the ineluctable answer, but he still wished that he could miss them. _Could this be my own brand of misery?_

* * *

Demyx, along with the rest of The Organization were sitting in some lounge on some floor. He didn't really care anymore. He couldn't in the first place.

Saïx took note of the overall somber atmosphere, "It's best if we just forget all about _her_."

"I'm not going to." Demyx said, barely audible, "She made me feel… stronger."

"I don't care how she made you '_feel'_," Saïx snarled. "Forget about her. That's an _order_."

Demyx stood, taking on an offensive stance he learned from Xistum, "That just seems like an order I'll have to defy."

"I am higher in rank than you, you pretentious brat," Saïx stood and snarled inches from Demyx's face. Normally, Demyx would have backed down by now. "Do as you are told!"

Xigbar knocked them both into opposing seats with one fluid movement. He summoned his guns and pointed one at each of them, "If we're gonna get anal retentive about numerical rank like Vexen used to, I want a say in this. Until Xemnas gets his happy ass down off of his ivory tower, I supersede you all! And I decree that you two shut the fuck up!"

Low growls were heard along with Xigbar's coarse breathing. Tense minutes passed.

Xigbar's guns disappeared, leaving him laughing. "Isn't kinda funny that there are only seven of us left, now?"

"I don't see how fallen comrades can be so funny," Xaldin snapped.

"Why so serious?" Xigbar continued to chuckle. "Don't you see? There is one of us for each of the _seven deadly sins._"

* * *

Kiseki was swinging in the swing as she did in her youth, singing.

"_Oh, I believe there are angels among us,_

_Sent down to us from somewhere up above._

_They come to you and me in our darkest hours,_

_To show us how to live, to teach us how to give,_

_To guide us with a light of love."_

Vexen was leaning against the tree, admiring the patterns that the dandelion seeds made as they were blown away. "You sing beautifully," He said.

"Thanks," She replied as she passed him. "Mama used to sing that song all the time. She called Kurai and me her angels, her light."

Vexen nodded. Kiseki stopped swinging and looked to him with solemn eyes, "Has Kurai changed?"

Vexen nodded again. Still staring at him, she asked, "Can you tell me how she's changed?"

Vexen dropped his chin and lowered his voice, "It will be best if Kurai tells us."

* * *

Xistum reached the peak of the mountain, breathless. She thought she saw another ocean on the other side, but the glittering lights weren't from an external source. They were eyes. _Heartless eyes_.

Xistum didn't sense any danger. What could they take from her?

Xistum was turning around to climb down the steep mountainside. Her ankle twisted and she fell all the way down.

Xistum looked up and saw that the fall wasn't more than 35 feet. She was up on top of a plateau of sorts that held all the Heartless she saw. The fall wasn't enough to seriously hurt her, but it still smarted.

She made herself stand up, and took note of the Heartless' reactions. They all just seemed to stare at her, antennae flicking like it was chatter. Xistum felt like she was on a stage, more like a microscope slide.

One Neoshadow made its way to the front of the crowd. It began to examine Xistum closely as Xistum balled her hand into a fist. She would fight back if she had to, even though she was seriously outnumbered.

Tense moments passed as the Nobody and Neoshadow stared at each other. Xistum jumped when the Neoshadows eyes flashed a brilliant emerald green.

_Come with me_, it said, in a familiar voice.

Xistum cocked her head to one side. She just had telepathic communication with a Neoshadow that sounded just like… Vexen?

It turned to leave, and Xistum followed without question. Is this the end… or just a new beginning?

* * *

A/N: I'm BACK!! And now I present to you the Rules of Organization XIII

1. Knock before entering. 'Nuff said.

2. Don't piss off the guy with the guns! Especially if you want to fight about rank…

3. If you are in The Castle That Never Was, the hoods are off! (Xemnas' "New" rule… heh, heh…)

That's pretty much it… OH! 4. Don't try to assassinate Xemnas unless A) you are very sure you can do it or B) you have an undying desire to be exiled or killed.

Snaps to Xigbar for having the same thought as me! Excluding Roxas, there are 7 members of Organization XIII in KHII. I decided to make a list, pairing the members to a sin that would fit them.

Xemnas: Pride (Pride is considered the original sin. Original member meet original sin!)

Xigbar: Gluttony (I gave the good ones away…)

Xaldin: Envy (These two)

Saïx: Wrath (are interchangeable.)

Axel: Lust (Don't ask me why…)

Demyx: Sloth (kinda revealed in both KHII and 7DS)

Luxord: Avarice (Big Duh there…)

I honestly think I could have wrote this better, but I lack the time to make it any better. Don't damn me for doing my best at this time. I will go ballistic. That's not good. Trust me..

So things have been really crazy lately… not the good kind of crazy either… (RANT!) I HATE CHEMISTRY! (/rant…) That class will be the death of me, I swear.

So I'm gonna go do the happy dance of glee for finally updating. Will you join me?

LUV's from Khaos


	10. Chapter 9 and a half

Chapter 9.2

* * *

He woke in tall grass on unfamiliar ground. He couldn't remember anything after that Keyblader defeated him. He remembered roaring in pain, dropping to his knees, and thanking _her _for his will to fight.

He stood and took in the surroundings. He had so many thoughts rushing through his head. They all ceased when he saw his former colleagues. They seemed so content.

Demyx knew he would be just fine here.

* * *

Xemnas watched as Saïx took his claymore and swiftly smashed The Melodious Nocturne's proof of existence. It was more like a tombstone, and this a funeral for a fallen Nobody.

A funeral that had only two attendees. Axel has defected. Xigbar refused to stay around the stronghold for long. Luxord and Xaldin were on assignment.

Saïx teleported away, off to find Axel for his own execution. Xemnas stalked up the walks to the Altar of Naught. He spent a lot of time up there now that the radiant glow of Kingdom Hearts was back, glowing brighter and brighter everyday. Thinking a lot. Planning a lot. Praying even more.

He knew no one would hear him, but he had a specific 'no one' in mind as he did. He asked for forgiveness like any one who prayed would.

He cut it short, leaving out the lengthy apologies. He had someplace to be.

* * *

There Saïx stood, the mighty Keyblade Master groveling before him just to see a girl who had a feeble heart at best. Saïx knew he could do better. He also knew that the Kairi girl was too much like The Sinner.

He tried to forget. God knows he tried. But he just couldn't forget her because her memory plagued The Superior as well. The Superior hadn't been right since… then.

The Superior should have listened to Saïx when he first confronted him. It was before he ever formally introduced her; Zexion had picked up on her long before then. She just wasn't fit to be in the Organization.

But, he digresses. Saïx turned his thoughts to the current situation.

He could take The Beloved Keyblade Master to his love and ruin his will to fight. That's just too nice and since The Organization had no control over Roxas anymore, he's still needed. Logic won.

Saïx spoke in the tense silence, almost to himself, "In that case, the answer's no."

* * *

Xaldin stood atop a moonlight tower, seeing his plan fall into place. Soon the Beast's heart would falter just for an instant. In that instant, Darkness would overcome his heart, and Organization XIII would control one of the most powerful Nobodies out there. Theoretically.

Xaldin didn't see the point any more. The Organization was falling apart, along with any hope of becoming a real living human again.

But orders were orders right?

* * *

Xigbar was running throughout The Castle That Never Was, searching for The Superior and his pet. He saw what the Keyblader could do to a Heartless. He didn't want to see what would happen to one of the others if—

Xigbar stopped and saw Demyx's destroyed proof, "Already?" He ran faster until he reached the Altar of Naught.

Of course this should have been the first place he looked. Xemnas nearly spent all his time up here now, and Saïx would hardly ever leave him alone now. Saïx did this, Xigbar was told, so _her _memory wouldn't mess with The Superior that much.

"Superior," Xigbar asked as courteously his surfer accent would allow, "I think we've underestimated the Keyblader's power, and… I'm just saying we should get out while we are ahead, you know?"

Saïx was watching him with a scowl on his face. Yeah, Xigbar knew was gonna get cussed later for this…

"I will not hear of any regrets with the plan," Xemnas bellowed. His voice had become more solemn since _then_.

"Regret? More like contrition." Xigbar scoffed. His tongue slipped. No one was allowed to say the 'c' word around Xemnas….

In an instant, Xemnas had Xigbar by the throat. He growled inches from Xigbar's face, "When Kingdom Hearts is whole again, The Organization will rule over the worlds. I will be king, and there is no contrition for a king."

Xemnas pushed him away, nearly sending Xigbar to the floor. Luckily, the deifier of all (un)known laws of physics never fell. Xigbar huffed and stomped off. He growled as he reached the stairs, "Seems like _the king_ has enough contrition to spare…."

Saïx heard Xigbar's parting comment, and added it to the scolding he was to give later. He turned to his Superior, about to continue the conversation that had been so rudely interrupted.

"Leave me." Xemnas said in a whisper. Saïx made no attempt to ignore the order. He promptly left the Superior with his thoughts.

* * *

Saix quickly found Xigbar in the halls. Saïx was about to give Number II a conversation he soon wouldn't forget, but he was taken aback with the Freeshooter's stance. He was peeking around the corner watching… something.

_Curiosity killed the cat,_ Saïx thought, making up for his nonexistent conscience, _but satisfaction brought it back_.

Saïx peeked around the corner and saw an effectively damaged Xaldin. The Keyblader no doubt. But what shocked Saïx was that Xaldin was conversing with… Vexen?

"I thought that bastard was dead!" Saïx said in a loud whisper. Xigbar immediately hushed him.

"So you're telling me you can't handle some kid with a giant key?" 'Vexen' lashed out.

Saïx's jaw hung open, "That was low…"

Xigbar looked annoyed, "Is it possible you can shut your mouth for two minutes?!"

Saïx set his jaw on edge and watched Numbers III and IV. Xaldin summoned one of his lances and flung it at Vexen. Vexen deflected it with his shield and knocked Xaldin into the air with its edge. Xaldin's feet had hit the floor. Vexen took the lower thorn and slammed it into Xaldin's gut.

Xaldin's eyes went wide as he began to cough blood in the face of Vexen. Vexen made no response as he withdrew his shield from the gut it was lodged in. Bits of gore splattered on the floor and Xaldin faded away. Vexen took a long look at his bloodied shield before it disappeared.

"That bastard cheated!" Xigbar finally whispered to Saïx' surprise.

"Eh?" Saïx was confused. Sure Xaldin was weakened, but that was hardly cheating. That was just luck.

"Vex created a replica stronger than himself," Xigbar stated flatly.

Before Saïx could respond he saw the Vexen Replica turn to them. He must have heard them. Drops of Xaldin's blood were rolling down his scowled face. His eyes flicked down ward for a moment. One of Xigbar's gun arrows was flying toward him. No time to react, the arrow penetrated the replica and the meaningless body shattered.

The shards of the replica made a clinking sound as they hit the floor. Saïx stood still, with the image of Replica Vexen's bloody face imprinted in his mind.

"Now that was cool…" Xigbar said as he rested his trusty gun on his shoulder. "I'ma going to go find more of those things."

Xigbar made an ominous laugh, as Saïx muttered under his breath. He completely forgot about cussing Xigbar out…

* * *

Luxord watched The Keyblader take on the Heartless boss. "It seems like I've done all I can do here." He motioned to his Gambler's and they all departed for The World That Never Was.

At their destination, Luxord sent his underlings off. He needed to rest. He opened the door marked 'X', but it was promptly knocked out of his hands. The door slammed shut with a gun arrow lodged in the center of the 'X.'

"Dammit, XIGBAR!" Luxord bellowed down the hall, but Xigbar was no where to be found. Luxord rolled his eyes and opened his door again.

This time, the door was knocked out of his hand to the wall behind it. Luxord was fed up with Xigbar's game. He was about to scream again when he noticed what was lodged in the door this time: a blade of ice.

"Whaaa…" Luxord barely breathed as he turned to the opposite end of the hall. There, somehow, Vexen was stalking down the hall. He drew his shield and looked pissed. "Oh bugger…"

Luxord quickly slipped inside his room and slammed the door shut. As Vexen yelled something, Luxord locked the door. Luxord started tip-toeing backwards until he fell backwards on his bed. He looked like he had seen a ghost.

Well, he had… technically.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out an unopened bottle of rum. He took the cork out and took a long swig.

This was good stuff, pirated rum. Luxord would have to remember to go back and get more.

Luxord swallowed, wincing a bit. He held the bottle up and spoke to it, "I'ma going to finish you, go to sleep and not wake up unless someone kicks me out of bed."

* * *

Xistum kicked the same little pebble out of her way for the three-hundred thousand, six hundred, forty-second time. She counted things to tell time was passing. Of course more time had passed before she started counting the times the pebble made contact wither foot. About six thousand, seven hundred, eighty flicks of a Shadow's antennae, two hundred fifty hummed tunes of meaningless songs, and four hundred eighty steps, if you don't count all the times Xistum _wasn't_ counting.

Three hundred thousand, six hundred, forty-three.

It had been long since Vexen the Neoshadow had communicated with Xistum telepathically. The Neoshadow hadn't said much since the other ten assorted Neoshadows and Shadows had joined the group. A few others tried to tag along but they were promptly shooed off (Xistum remembers one persistent little bugger. He, she presumed, had to be beaten to a pulp before he got the idea to leave them alone.

Three hundred thousand, six hundred, forty-four.

But what was the most unnerving to Xistum, Vexen the Neoshadow had given up his post as navigator. The group was just following Xistum aimlessly.

Three hundred thousand, six hundred, forty-five.

Xistum didn't really know where she was going. She was trying to find her way back to the shore she arrived on. May be then she could find a way back to the world she had been cast away from. The world she was exiled from…

Three hundred thousand, six hundred, forty-six. Xistum kicked the pebble too hard this time and lost it. Not just the pebble but her sanity.

Xistum fell to the ground, frustrated, tired, cold… and lost. "I'm lost," She whispered before she yelled it to the heavens. She had to yell extra loud since she was in a level of Hell unknown to even the Devil himself.

With her eyes cloudy with tears, she was blinded by a bright light in front of her. It was not as bright as the light on the shore, but it felt _so warm_.

Whether it was foolishness or curiosity, Xistum flung herself into the light. Had she found her way out?

* * *

Xemnas fell to his knees. His Organization had crumbled beneath his feet and he was paying the price. He held his hand to his chest regretting the choices he had made. If he had not sent the former Number XI to Castle Oblivion in his place, may be The Organization would have prevailed. He did it all because of… Xistum.

He let her memory come back to him. He was about to die after all. What could it hurt?

"I need… more rage…" Xemnas barely breathed, "I need more… hearts…"

"Xemnas," Sora, The Keyblade Master, said with a sense of almost understanding. Almost. "There's more to a heart than just anger or hate. It's full of all kinds of feelings. Don't you remember?"

Those memories he kept locked away came crashing back to Xemnas. He clutched the 'S' shaped scar on his chest through his cloak.

He spoke low and soft as the full weight of the memories pressed down on him, "Unfortunately… I don't…"

* * *

A/N: Finally, I get to have some fun! This chapter was a frickin' joy after the last one.

Now as for the peculiar title, this chapter was never supposed to exist, according to my outline. I just really wanted to screw around with the game's logic so ta-da!

Vexen Replica: As it shows in the Japanese version of the manga, Xaldin returns to the Castle and is finished off by a Vexen clone. I decided to work that in for the heck of it. This whole chapter was for the heck of it actually…

Luxord: Again for the heck of it! This was the most fun thing to write out of the chapter.

Xissy and Xemmy's little shtick: That was the original opening to the next real chapter, but after I wrote it, I just couldn't bring myself to continue. Plus that bit made it more of an actual chapter than just a filler chapter. Again, not wasting my readers' valuable time is one of my top priorities.

As for why I haven't updated in a while: Last chapter kinda sent my muse to oblivion for a while. I just lost all my talent and felt dead. So I took some time off. I played my guitar, got my new bedroom furniture in order, watched _Sweeney Todd _too many times (I guess that's where Xaldin's gory death came from, eh?), did my homework (which is not a mistake I will make EVER again), and I felt all new again.

Now on to some awesome (and not so awesome) news!

Awesome!: Square-Enix has announced that there will be a North American release of _Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories_. Release Date: December 2, 2008. Yes, it is already on my Christmas list.

No word if Final Mix is going to be release along with it (super sad face) or if Re:CoM will be released in Europe (but surely they won't keep you guys in the dark).

Not so awesome: It looks like _385/2 Days_ has been pushed back to a 2009 release. I know most of you are sitting out there waiting for _Birth By Sleep_, but I really want to know more about The Organization (and I really wanna kick some ass as Xemnas and his awesome Light Sabers. I mean, how cool is that?). That seems like a no brainer considering all my KH stories are about The Organization, eh?

So now I must get back to abiding by my outline and my math homework. I don't hate math as much as I do chemistry. I actually love it.

Toodles!

LUV's from Khaos


	11. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10_

* * *

She fumbled her way through the tall grass, blinded by the light she had just walked through. She walked aimlessly with her vision gone, until she fell flat on her face. She could feel that the ground was covered in tall grasses that tickled her nose.

She could feel the bright light fading into a much warmer light. Xistum rubbed her eyes as the vision of the yellow horizon faded into a purple-blue sky above, dotted with pastel pink and orange clouds came into perspective. She sighed at the overall content mood that the sky gave.

Xistum then sneezed loudly. Looking at the wildflowers that dotted the surrounding fields, Xistum groaned and rubbed her nose, "Damn allergies…"

Xistum stood up, brushing away patches of yellow from her cloak. She looked at her surroundings. Nothing for land marks at all. The dew on the ground gave the indication that this was dawn.

Xistum heard the familiar sound of twitching antennae behind her. The Heartless Posse had followed Xistum in to the light. They were more dazed than she was. It was comical when one by one they tripped over each other.

"You guys know that was practically suicidal," Xistum laughed for the first time in ages, "following me into the light like that."

_At least our near death experience was funny to you…_ A Shadow flicked its antennae.

Xistum shook her head and started walking towards the sun. In that darkness she was in, following the light seemed like the right thing to do.

* * *

Xistum kept walking and sneezing, following the sun. It was weird because the sun never reached past the horizon, and the sky never lost that calming effect. The calming effect seemed to work on the Heartless too; a few certain ones resisted fighting.

Soon a tree appeared on the horizon, its dark silhouette a striking difference in the middle of the orange orb. Xistum thought it looked familiar...

Still following the light of the sun, she made her way to the tree.

As the individual branches became more defined, so did the figures in the shadows. Familiar again.

"XISSY!!" A certain blonde started screaming and running towards Xistum.

Xistum's jaw hung open when she recognized the voice. The figure tackled her and Xistum blacked out before hitting the ground.

Xistum knew that she didn't black out for long, as the some others were rushing up to the scene. "Get off of me, you igmo!" Xistum yelled at Demyx, the offending Nobody.

Demyx was ecstatic, as the others helped Xistum to her feet. Vexen, Axel, Larxene, and Xigbar were all there.

"I thought you all were dead!" Xistum screamed, "Where's Roxas?"

Demyx answered cheerfully, "He found his other side on his own."

"Lucky kid," Larxene sighed.

"Well," Xistum sighed, "Why the hell are you all here?"

"Damned if we know…" Xigbar scoffed.

"I thought we were supposed to fade away into nothing," Vexen thought aloud. "But instead we go to a… paradise of sorts…"

"Everything we've done comes back to haunt us!" Axel yelled. "How is that paradise?"

"Paradise for us," Larxene shrugged. "Hell for a traitor."

"Traitor?" Xistum questioned as she walked to the tree; she wanted a closer examination of the familiar scene. "I'm really lost… How long has it been since I've seen you all?"

"Time passes very slowly here," Vexen stated. "Saïx, the newest arrival here, says that it's been about a year or so since the incident at Castle Oblivion."

"But I digress," Xistum said. "Why is Axel a traitor, again?"

Larxene scoffed, "That isn't our story to tell, now is it?"

"Go ahead, man," Xigbar said, "'Fess up."

Axel was silent as he bit the thumb of his left glove. Axel dropped his hand and sighed, "I—I was responsible for the deaths at Castle Oblivion… I know I said Sora and his friend did most of it, but I pulled the strings… After you… were gone, I tried to go after Roxas, who was marked as a traitor. Doing that marked me, officially, as such."

Xistum stopped walking. Some one who she thought was her friend had killed his own kind, and her lover… Xistum clenched and unclenched her fists, unable to bring herself to attack Axel under the calm sky. "Do they forgive you?"

Axel was shocked at the question. He was expecting a slap, at least. "I dunno… Vexen tried to strangle me with the swing upon my arrival, but the girl talked him out of it."

Xistum pointed to Larxene, who happily corrected her, "Hell no! I was helping Vexen!"

"I should've known…" Xistum shook her head. "Who then?"

"Her." Vexen pointed to the swing, which had someone occupying it.

Xistum started walking again, any frustration gone when she saw the brilliant flash of strawberry blonde hair. Closer she walked until she saw the freckles on the girls skin…

"Kiseki?" Xistum barley breathed.

The girl tumbled out of the swing laughing her head off, undeniably confirming it was Kiseki. Kiseki stood and looked around. Her newest friends were staring at the other group.

Her lips twisted into a smile as she yelled, "Kurai!!" She immediately ran to her sister.

The girls crashed together into a tight mesh. "Kurai! It's really you! It's really, _really_ you!"

Xistum felt this unbearable pain inside her. Screw this tough chick act; Xistum broke into tears.

"I'm sorry, Kiseki. I'm so, so sorry…." Xistum sobbed, "I didn't keep my promise… I don't deserve any reception such as this…"

Kiseki held her sister by the shoulders, "That night, you promised you'd come back to me. Now, I just see you keeping that promise."

Xistum just cried even harder. Her sister couldn't hold anything against her, not for the world.

Xistum hugged her sister tight, "There's something important I need to tell you…. One of us was never supposed to exist."

Kiseki straightened up, "Are you going through this whole 'I'm adopted because I've got purple hair' thing again?"

Xistum laughed. How simple that seemed now, "No… It's just that…. I found out that I'm a Nobody. I don't have a heart. I'm a fluke.."

"No, you're not!" Kiseki sighed and shook her head. "Am I gonna have to give you the same talk as I give each and every one of you?"

"Ahh," Xistum wiped away her tears, "But I have proof! I don't have a heart, because _you're _my heart. Odd thing, ain't it?"

Kiseki's jaw dropped for a moment, but understanding took it's place, "Well, that explains a lot."

"I know, huh?" Xistum laughed, hugging her sister even tighter. "I'm still sorry…"

Kiseki stood akimbo, "If you're going to apologize, I think it should be to Ienzo."

"What?" Xistum jumped back with memories of her child hood flooding back to her. "That little shorty is here too?"

Kiseki nodded, "He's not like we remember, Kurai. He's grown up a bit. And the others agree that you should apologize."

Xistum looked around at the others, wondering how they knew Ienzo, the little boy she used to play with after school. "Where is he?"

"Up in the tree house," Kiseki said. "He's been up there since Mr. Blue-Hair told him something."

Without a word, Xistum rushed up the wooden ladder.

* * *

She crouched in the tree house, expecting to see the same short, brown haired, blue-eyed boy she knew from her memories. Instead she saw Zexion… _Zexion…_

"Oh, boy I'm an idiot…" Xistum cussed herself out under her breath. She just now figured out the X anagram pattern.

The barely audible confession of ignorance announced that Zexion was no longer alone. He looked to her with hopeful eyes, "Please tell me that Saïx is a liar and that never happened."

Xistum didn't answer and plopped down beside him. He sighed, "I told him that it wasn't his secret to tell."

"Can I be forgiven?" Xistum barely breathed.

Zexion sighed and thought a moment, "Sure you can… but not by me…"

"What about way back then, when I punched you at my birthday party? Can I be forgiven for that?"

"Leave me." Zexion said, closing their discussion.

Xistum breathed out and left to a much different sight.

* * *

"What's going on?" Xistum ran over to her sister, cowering on the ground.

"There were these… things made of darkness. Luxord called them Heartless… They're on the other side of the tree fighting them… They scare me, Kurai." Kiseki shook.

"Don't be scared of them," Xistum left her, "They found me when I thought I was alone."

Xistum called out to those fighting. "Oi! Stop It!"

"Fitting!" Saïx called back, trying to fight a Neoshadow with out his claymore. "Oh, so fitting that _The Sinner_ brings darkness and tries to defend it!"

"Just shut up. Stop fighting and listen to me!" Xistum yelled. The Nobodies and Heartless both stopped their fighting. "They are my friends. We hold nothing for them to try and attack us!"

"What about your 'sister,' eh?" Axel scoffed, with two Heartless staring intently at him. "She's perfect Heartless bait."

Xistum growled, "Talk about her like that again and I will kick your ass."

"That a threat, Xissy?" Axel laughed.

"A promise, actually!" Xistum screamed.

"I get it now…" Vexen barely breathed. "She found our hearts… just like that pretentious brat predicted…"

"KURAI!!" Kiseki screamed and Xistum went running. Her sister was comforting a fallen man wearing a lab coat. He would have been absolutely normal if it wasn't for the silver mane that was all too familiar. "What's wrong with Xehanort?"

Xehanort rolled along the ground gripping his chest. Vexen patted Xistum's shoulder, "Ooh… Déjà vu, eh? It looks like quantum entanglement to me, Doc…"

"_He's coming…"_

* * *

A/N: All the players are converging on one point so the inevitable conclusion is coming.

Xemnas: Grrr…

So there's another 'c' word you can't say around him. What about—

Xemnas: SHUT UP!!

Okay then… so nothing left to say other than I've got infectious mononucleosis... well I've had it for a while now , but I've relapsed… and it sucks as much as I remember. Good news is that I've been having a lot of eureka moments and I've got some more story ideas and you can go check 'em out at my blog. If you comment over there, sign your PenName (or at least a name I'll recognize!) and for the love of everything, when you copy and paste, make (dot) an actual dot!

cursedchaos13(dot)blogspot(dot)com/2008/09/ideas-dont-hop-they-flutter(dot)html

and

cursedchaos13(dot)blogspot(dot)com/2008/10/more-ideas(dot)html

Love getting comments over there. My blog feels sad and lonely a lot… (Yes, my blog can feel… )

So leave a review and spend a couple minutes at my blog. Is that so hard?

LUV's from Khaos, The Deifier of Medical Probablity….


	12. Chapter 11

_Chapter 11_

* * *

Zexion came down from his tower, curiosity sparked by the yells below. He saw Xehanort thrashing about the ground with everyone around him. He got a sudden feeling of déjà vu. Wait…. a feeling?

Zexion saw the Heartless circling the group. He jumped the last few steps and ran to the unsuspecting victims, "Oi! Watch out!"

Xigbar turned and saw Zexion rushing towards them. Zexion took a flying leap and tried to flatten a Shadow. The Shadow beat him to it and Zexion hit the ground with a thud.

Xigbar started to laugh and feign terror, "Oh no! Zexion! You're the only one who can save us! Help! Help!"

Zexion's voice was muffled from talking straight into the ground, "They're not dangerous, are they?"

Xigbar couldn't control his laughter, "Nope… you missed Vexen's little revelation."

Zexion slammed his fist into the ground in exasperation, and looked up to the Shadow in front of him. Its antennae fidgeted and Zexion growled. Zexion stood to his feet. "What exactly was that revelation?"

"Xistum found our hearts, man," Xigbar smiled. "Vex thinks we can be whole again."

Zexion stared at Xigbar for a moment like he was out of his mind. Zexion's gaze shifted to the rest of the group.

His eyes locked with Xistum's for a moment. She immediately averted her eyes, looking ashamed. In Zexion's mind, she should be.

Suddenly the wind shifted to the north-west and intensified. Xehanort stopped his pain induced spat and everyone looked to the source of the wind. A distinct human form was outlined in the tall grass. Cloaks billowed as the wind slowed to a breeze.

Xemnas rose to his knees and saw his former Organization. He saw the loyal, the traitors, the strong, the weak, the broken, the beaten, and the damned. Their cloaks were tattered and skin scarred. They had fallen from grace much like he had.

He saw the curious Heartless circling around them and smiled, his Plan-B shining bright as his primary plan had 'Crashed and Burned.'

Since he had first heard the motions of revolution from Numbers XI and XII, he knew that his Organization would fall apart and needed a backup plan. Then that one night, Vexen arrived with the broken soul of Xistum and his prayers were answered.

He didn't know so much would happen with just the addition of a simple pawn.

He rose up to his feet, feeling the burning of his back. His tattered Final Form cloak was flowing in the breeze. He took a deep breath and began to walk to the group; he wasn't expecting a homecoming, but this had to be done.

* * *

He explained that The World That Never Was had faded into oblivion, along with anything that had 'felt' like home. He explained that he knew he was destined to fail, and that Xistum was a piece of the puzzle.

"If only," Xemnas rambled to himself, "I had not been so eager to find the answers I wanted. If I had just a shred of patience, I would have been able to see the wrong in my ways. If I could just see the bigger picture, none of this would have happened.

"I am to blame for the overwhelming amounts of Darkness, for I was the one who urged my colleagues to synthesize it. I am to blame for my dearest friends losing their hearts, along with complete strangers that I had the pleasure of knowing… I'm truly sorry…"

"Snap out of it!" Axel stomped his foot, "What are you doing? It's not like you're going to die!"

"Technically," Demyx scratched his chin in deep thought, "If he's here, he already has…"

Saïx scoffed, "Demyx has a point."

"But the hearts are lost no longer!" Vexen pointed to the Heartless Posse.

Luxord added his two cents, "And some how, in your journey here, you have seen the error of your ways."

"I don't deserve to be complete again," was The Superior's meek reply.

Xehanort's face fell at that utterance. Kiseki was angered with her friend hurt, and her anger was passed into Xistum for action.

"You had it in your bloody plans from the start for me to find your hearts," Xistum seethed. "And I found them with out any further direction! Now you're choosing that you don't want your heart! Xehanort here wants to be complete as much as you do! Now saying that you don't want it any more is hypocritical beyond belief!"

"What about everyone else?" Xemnas' voiced raised to match Xistum's, "They won't forgive me!"

"Nice freaking time to sprout a conscience!" Xistum yelled. "They won't forgive you right off the bat, probably if you say 'Sorry' they won't forgive you either. But with time comes understanding and with understanding comes tolerance, compassion, _forgiveness_."

Xistum's eyes couldn't help but flick between The Superior and The Cloaked Schemer during her little speech. "Kiseki tells me that Xehanort was the same way when he came here. But he changed, and so will you if you want to see the Realm of Light again!"

Xemnas got mad, strong, and his will to survive back all in one fell swoop, "Well, how do you suppose we leave this Hell anyway?"

"That a way!" Xistum pointed away from the sun and into the flower covered fields. "I came from there in a dulled light!"

Xemnas bellowed, "Lead the way!"

"I will!" Xistum's incredulous display of dominance was subordinated by a series of rapid sneezes. Xistum stomped off swearing like a sailor at her luck.

* * *

"Is this where we become whole again?" Vexen asked. He and the others were trailing behind Xistum and Xemnas.

"No," Xistum corrected him, "Through the light is how we'll enter the Dark Realm. I've seen the light we've all been looking for."

"Tell us," Lexaeus was curious, "Is it beautiful?"

"More beautiful than you can ever imagine," Xistum sighed, remembering the sight she saw over a year ago.

They had arrived at the light that had brought Xistum to the haven they chose to leave.

"What'll happen to this realm," Demyx asked, "what ever it is?"

"Disappear, I bet," Xaldin pondered aloud.

"How much?" Luxord smirked.

"It's a realm for the lost," Xistum explained. "As long as there are those needing guidance, it'll be here."

"I wonder if any of us will see it again," Axel sighed as he was the first to enter the light.

Xistum looked to Kiseki, knowing that this was a real place, that they could always return to once they got to the other side.

After everyone else had entered the light, Kiseki and Xistum entered it side by side.

* * *

Through the dulling light the thirteen Nobodies, eleven Heartless, and the two Hearts traversed into the Realm of Dark.

Xistum was blinded for a moment but could feel the difference in the air. The Darkness around them was not as apathetic as before. It seemed… hungry.

Xistum felt her sister's hands grip her bicep, right over where the stitches still are. She was scared, and Xistum didn't blame her one bit.

The others came into view, on edge with the taste of the Darkness' desire in the air. They all began to back together in a circle with the Heartless and the Hearts in the middle. The beings of Darkness closed in on them.

"You do know what they want, right?" Zexion, of all people, said with the memory of arrogance apparent. "They want Xehanort and Kiseki…"

Xistum raised her voice, slightly miffed at Zexion's tone, "Well, what are we supposed to do, eh? Fight our way out, _sans weapons_?"

Marluxia scoffed, "That should be easy for you…" Xistum couldn't help the quick smile that graced her lips.

She looked to her other Nobodies, all emotionless, yet with a fight or flight response waiting in the wings. The Heartless looked eager to fight, even though they were trapped in a prison of cloaks. Xehanort was trying to stay calm as he held Kiseki tight as she cried her eyes out. Xistum's fists clenched with the addition of adrenaline; there was no way in Hell that the Darkness would take her.

* * *

Adrenaline was rushing through Vexen's veins also. He was surprised that, even at his age, his body would give him the strength to fight. He felt an all too familiar chill at his finger tips. He looked to see if his gloves were still intact, (which they were upon leaving the sanctuary) and instead saw ice forming. If he had a heart, he would jump for joy.

"Elements!" Vexen cried, "We still have control over our elements!"

"What good will that do me, you bloody coot!?" A certain Gambler of Fate asked. Yes, his element was utterly useless here, along with Saïx's (no moon here, nor could he summon his claymore), Xigbar's and Zexion's.

"Be creative!" Larxene shouted with her signature giggle following. Of course, she was going to enjoy the looming battle.

"But first a warning:" Lexaeus was calling upon the memory of worry to sound convincing, "Last time we faded away, we arrived in a safe haven. If we were to fade again, I'm sure we will not be so lucky."

"Point taken," Larxene sighed, "New plan: Be creative, and _careful_."

"You call that a plan?" Xemnas laughed nervously, "No wonder you two failed to take The Organization."

Growls were heard from Marluxia and Larxene as Xistum formulated her plan.

"Xigbar, Saïx, Luxord, and," his name felt like poison on her tongue, "Zexion, take Kiseki and Xehanort and follow our little Heartless posse. They know where the sea shore is." Xistum looked over her shoulder for a reassuring glance from the Heartless Posse leader.

"And what do we do?" Xaldin sighed with discontent.

"Distraction," Xistum barely breathed and backed in closer. The other Heartless were tearing at each other to get in the front, to be the first to attack.

"Awfully big distraction," Xigbar mumbled.

"Wait," Vexen pondered, "How are the rest of us going to find our way to the others?"

"Haven't gotten that far yet." Xistum admitted.

Saïx snorted, "You can think on your feet, no?"

"Doesn't matter," Axel huffed. "We're going to have to use _a_ _plan_ or we're dead."

"I vote for Xistum's plan," Demyx chuckled. Yes, even with his demise staring him in the face he was able to laugh.

"Count of three," Xistum whispered as she kicked a little Shadow off into the distance. Organization Code: Count of three means _count of_ _one_. Just one of their many attack techniques that they never used, because they rarely fought in groups.

"ONE!" Xistum shouted as everyone jumped into action. The designated group started following the Heartless Posse, knocking away any other Heartless that got in their way.

The members who had an affinity for elements began to fight clumsily, as their weapons were their channeling mechanisms for said elements.

Lexaeus slammed his hands into the ground, as he would if he had his tomahawk, and a ring of rocks jutted up from the ground. The ring knocked away multitudes of Heartless. Unfortunately, the Heartless flew onto the unsuspecting fellow fighters.

"Ahh!!! Get 'em off me!" Demyx shouted as he failed to make a shield of water. He was being crushed under the Heartless when Larxene rushed over to help… Well, if one could call kicking both the attacker and victim at the same time help.

Xistum had barely enough time to look over to Larxene pummeling Demyx as much as the Heartless, "Oi! Start working together if you wanna get out of here!"

Larxene finally got Demyx up and returned fighting as Xistum thought whilst she fought. Her element was of little use… if anything it was drawing the Darkness closer. The only way the others had to survive is if she led the Darkness off…

* * *

_Working together…_ Vexen's ears rung with Xistum's words. Taking on the Keyblader or his friend one-by-one got them into this mess… That mistake should not be repeated.

Vexen had knocked away a pack of Neoshadows with a feeble ice blade when he saw Demyx struggling with his opponents. The kid was dousing them pretty good but he needed a way to stop them.

A quick quantum leap later, Vexen was standing by Demyx. "Hose 'em down!" Vexen yelled. Demyx did as he was told and Vexen sent walls of cold air flowing from his fingertips. The Heartless were stopped cold in their tracks, pun completely intended.

Demyx smiled faintly as he caught on to the plan. One element clumsily used wouldn't stop the Heartless, but two used in harmony would suffice.

Others saw them and quickly caught on. Lexaeus summoned shards of rock forth from the ground, creating a shabby prison. Marluxia came in behind him and filled the spaces between with excessively thorny vines. Woe be unto those who got caught in the vines.

Xaldin mustered all his strength into a swirling vortex of wind and Heartless, but the Heartless just fell out to attack again. Axel was up to fix that problem. He sent his own beautiful, fiery doom into the vortex, lighting up the sky and turning Heartless to ash.

The walls of frozen Heartless were piling up around Vexen and Demyx, and water plus gravity was not the formula they needed.

Larxene slid in between the two and giggled, "Need some help?"

Larxene charged up as the two looked for some place to avoid her wrath. Vexen knew her attacks were usually calculated and precise, yet so was everyone else's, and they were struggling at best. Vexen merely hit the ground and pulled Demyx down, too, knowing that he would thank him later.

Larxene released unfathomable amounts of energy out into the surrounding area, sending the electricity into the ice, and the ice exploding into countless shards. Vexen thanked some unnamed deity of science that he and WaterBoy made it out of her attack unscathed.

Inches from Demyx, a broken shard of a Heartless landed. He picked it up and examined it, glinting in the light from the fire vortex, "So this is where Dark Shards come from…" Demyx's admiration was interrupted by Vexen pulling him back up to fight.

* * *

Xistum's mind was formulating her escape. If she just ran off, not only would the Darkness follow, but her friends too… She had just as much pull on them, as if she was some sort of magnet.

Her thoughts were lost to the wind as she was quickly pulled out of the way to have thorns of nothingness take her place. A Neoshadow's stealthy attack was foiled.

Xistum needn't look at her defender to know who it was. She promptly pushed away from Xemnas to deter any other unneeded help. She could do this on her own.

"What?" Xemnas' deep bass like voice was still calm as always, "No 'Thank you'?"

"Nope," Xistum hissed and 'accidentally' threw a Shadow at The Superior.

Xemnas caught the Shadow and swung it at its brethren, knocking out a few. "Everyone else has dance partners…"

Xistum did a sliding kick along the dark ground, taking out a few Heartless and then The Superior. As he fell to the ground, clearly shocked, Xistum's words dripped with poison, "I don't dance."

The Superior dropped the Shadow he had been using as a weapon and his head hit the ground with a solid thud. The Shadow got up and ran for the hills, its lesson learned.

Xemnas stood up with emulated anger in his eyes. "Fight with me. That is an order."

"What makes you qualified to order me around?" Xistum snapped. "You banish me to this godforsaken realm, away from your little playmates. I'm no longer a part of your precious Organization. You have no power over me."

"I beg to differ…" Xemnas created a HP draining barrier around Xistum, taking care of any Heartless that ventured too close to the fighters.

Xistum was confused and becoming dizzy, but refused to fight with Xemnas.

"Fight _with_ me or die," Xemnas hissed out his ultimatum.

Xistum, despite her failing strength, stood tall and crossed her arms for effect.

"So you've chosen," Xemnas sneered. He shook his head and sent out a thorny greeting for the next pack of Neoshadows. "How… **selfish**."

_Say what?_ Xistum was questioning Xemnas' peculiar choice in words.

"Have you forgotten so quickly?" Xemnas laughed eerily. "What about your sister? She'll be waiting on that shore for you for **eternity**. How _heartbroken_ she'll be… all because you made such a **selfish** choice…"

Xistum let a long string of profanity fly from her lips. Kiseki was her only trigger and Xemnas was very close to pulling it.

"Fine…" Xistum admitted defeat. The barrier was gone and quick Curaga spell was sent from The Superior himself.

"Let's get to work then," Xemnas attempted a smile.

Xistum didn't have time to refuse being dragged into his overly exuberant attack.

It truly felt like a dance the way Xemnas was twirling her into the enemies. First on the ground, then in the air, and landing on another group. Yet, not once did Xemnas let her go.

Between the waves of Heartless, Xemnas twirled Xistum close to him. She scoffed, "You and your theatrics…"

Xemnas raised an eyebrow, "Are theatrics such a bad thing?"

Before Xistum could answer, a bright light shot across the sky (sending the Keyblader and his friend home). Xistum looked to the source and saw a glowing horizon.

"We need to go that way." Xistum whispered to Xemnas. An exasperated sigh left her lungs when she saw the multitudes of Heartless standing in their way.

Xemnas let her go and turned to the others, "Number VIII! IX! We need a fog!"

Axel and Demyx stopped working with their respective partners and combined their elements, enveloping the area in a thick fog.

Xistum could still see the glowing sky through the humid veil, but the rest of her vision was gone, "Way to go, idiot! Now we can't see the Heartless attack!" Xistum's words rang true as a Neoshadow lunged for her. She dodged it… barely.

"Number IV, cool us down!" Xemnas bellowed, invisible yet right beside Xistum. "Everyone… _don't breathe._"

Xistum took a deep breath and continued to dodge more Heartless. She was wondering why the heck they had to hold their breaths, now of all times!

Xistum's unsaid questions found their answer: The air started getting really cold, really fast. Xistum flew past the shivering stage and went into convulsions. She saw the water condense on her cloak and freeze almost instantly.

This happened in the rest of the area. The vapor would condense and freeze on and in anything it could touch. Xistum began to think of what would have happened if she had not held her breath… Having one's lungs freeze solid while in use seemed to be a horrible way to go…

The deadly fog vanished leaving the Heartless in statues and a very satisfied Vexen.

Xistum couldn't take it anymore; she sucked air in a painful gasp. The air was frigid but, thankfully, not deadly.

"Thanks for testing the waters," Marluxia smirked.

"Don't you mean _air_?" Guess who?

Xistum looked around and saw the still life Heartless for as far as she could see. "Cool…" Her breath escaped in a visible puff.

"Literally," Vexen smirked with his breath leaving in a wisp.

"You guys see that glowing in the sky over there?" Xistum pointed to said glowing, "Okay, you can't really see it because of the mountains but it's that over there… We need to go 'atta way…"

The Organization just stared at her. This upset Xistum slightly. Xemnas growled, "You heard her! Now get going!"

* * *

The running group had made their way through the frozen wasteland. Closer to the mountains, they ran into another group of Heartless.

Xistum saw the light glowing over the mountain range. It was so close she could almost taste it, "Ignore them! They shouldn't bother us once we get to the peak!"

Some nodded and others began scrambling up the slope. Xemnas and Xistum lagged behind, knocking away any that got too close.

They finally made the mad dash to the pinnacle. Demyx was freaking out, "They're still coming! They're still coming!"

Xistum's balance was lost when Demyx yanked her down. Unfortunately, Xistum's bad ankle gave way and the two started to tumble down the much steeper and rockier slope.

Demyx cackled all the way down, whilst Xistum was desperately trying not to get scraped up too bad. She slid backwards for a few seconds and saw the others gracefully slide down the slope.

And then nothing… she dropped into another murky fog. Her vision wasn't as limited as before, but she lost sight of those above.

Soon the mountain side went completely vertical and Xistum was sent into a free fall. Her descent did not last long before she hit the ground with a muffled thud. She quickly determined which way was up and ran away from the landing zone. She did have some sense.

She saw dark figures above not expecting the sandy floor which they would soon become acquainted with. The figures crumpled to the ground with the collective sound of wind being knocked out of lungs.

"Geez Larxene!" Demyx shouted. He obviously did not even stand after he landed, "You weigh more than you look!"

That comment was met with a hollow thwack to the offender's head and his yelp of pain, "Yeow! What was that for?!"

Snorts of laughter were cut short by The Superior's bellowing voice, "There's Demyx… Where is Xistum?"

"More accurately, who landed on her?" Vexen's distinctive figure was straightening out his back. A loud pop was heard and Vexen moaned in pain.

"No one landed on Xistum," she referred to herself in third person, "because she's got enough smarts to move out of the way of falling people!"

"Everyone here and accounted for?" Lexaeus' gruff yet gentle voice asked.

"I think so…" Marluxia replied, "Where's the pyro?"

"_Under your feet,_" Axel replied hoarsely, "_which are crushing my wind pipe…_"

A small mutter of "Oops, sorry!" was lost as Xaldin spoke, "That was more… comedic than needed…"

"You can thank Demyx over there for that," Xistum sighed.

"You're welcome!"

Xistum walked closer to the dark figures and they each became hazily visible, "Let's find the others…"

"Where will they be?" Vexen asked as he attempted to get sand out from under his nails.

"Where the light is the brightest," Xemnas said, almost to himself, and began walking.

The others looked to each other for an explanation before they followed.

* * *

The mist was almost gone when the aforementioned others were standing before our heroine.

"Finally," Zexion muttered under his breath.

Xistum's clever reply was knocked out of her by Kiseki's trademark hug, with tears added for no extra charge.

"She was worried about you," Saïx said.

"Cried and screamed all the way here," Luxord rolled his eyes. Upon connecting with Xistum's cold eyes, he shot her a smirk to signal that it was all in good fun.

As Kiseki was squeezing the life out of Xistum, the latter saw the Heartless group to break apart and tug a Nobody to the light. One specific green eyed Neoshadow was tugging on Vexen's cloak.

Xistum had to take a double take when she noticed that the light was no longer a beautiful orb hung above the water, but instead merged with the water itself. It's radiant glow was making the mist that danced and swirled upon it dull and dirty looking.

"So…" Saïx asked to break the thick silence, "Now what?"

He was only answered with more silence; this silence had something… tangible about it.

Minutes later, Vexen began to laugh, "Here we are, sitting on the threshold of what The Order has been working toward since its commencement, and not one of us dares to enter the light and be complete again…"

"Pathetic," Xaldin mumbled, "absolutely pathetic."

Xistum looked to the others, each showing their own brand of apprehension. After all, most of them had been scientists, trained and conditioned to think before they act. Xistum's eyes settled upon Demyx, who looked a shade away from hysterics.

Xistum and her little shadow walked to Demyx. She leaned in close as her voice was only meant for him to hear, but her voice rang too clear to be only his to hear.

"_A criminal's reward_

_Is all that I lived for_

_Until these broken years were healed_

_The shadows of a shattered life_

_Only returns to light."_

* * *

Demyx could tell in her voice that there was nothing to fear. He walked away from the shore, the light lapping at his feet.

His hands ran through his sandy hair, both in color and from landing in the sand, wondering why he didn't want to be complete yet.

_Come on, Dem—Wait I should start using my true name now, huh? Well, *me* be a man! Suck it up!_

He felt his Shadow tugging furiously at his cloak, who lost it's footing on the sand. Demyx helped the little guy up right on to his shoulders. He spun around and puffed out his chest, breathing deep.

* * *

Xistum stared out into the opalescent water, wondering what mysteries lay within it. Thoughts were lost when a black blur rushed past her.

Demyx ran and took a very graceful flying leap out into the lit waters, his final farewell given long after he had submerged, "Later, Losers!"

In the following silence, the remaining waited for a sign that never came.

"Well…" Xigbar began, "I'm not getting any younger." He followed his Neoshadow, wading in the water. He turned and gave a goodbye gesture before he dove under.

* * *

Most of the others left without a word, save for Vexen, Axel, and Marluxia. The neophytes had thanked Xistum, while Vexen gave her and Kiseki a slight bow and bid them good luck.

And then there were three… er.. three pairs left.

"I get it if you don't forgive me," Xistum muttered to Zexion. "What should The Sinner expect?"

Zexion's azure eyes almost flickered with forgiveness. Almost. He left silently, wondering if he would ever forgive her… for anything…

Xemnas swallowed, and Xehanort took Kiseki from Xistum for a moment in a hug. "She's a gift," He told Xistum, "She helped my see the light in myself… before it went out completely… Thank you."

The wires connected and lights went off in Xemnas' head. Through space and time, not only did Xistum's heart connected with herself, but Xehanort had contacted Xemnas in a similar way. Their hearts crossed and made the situation on the outside of the Dark Realm a lot more complicated (and not to mention intimate) than it really needed to be.

"You just now figure it out, too?" Xistum asked with a smirk. Xemnas nodded his head, sharing the smirk.

Xehanort and Kiseki finished their hug and held each other at the elbows. They stared at each other for a time, until Kiseki turned away with a blush on her cheeks, clearly embarrassed.

Xemnas nudged Xistum with his elbow, "Looks like we're gonna see a lot more of each other now…"

Xistum let out a muffled, "Hmm.." as he elaborated.

"Our hearts have become connected, and there's no way to stop it now."

"What if we can't get to a world that the other was on?"

"You must have not been acquainted with the wonderful invention called the gummi ship, eh?"

"What if we don't recognize each other?"

"We'll see each other the way we remember. At least, Roxas and Naminè did."

"Now is Naminè the one with blonde hair or black hair?"

"Blonde."

"Oh yeah, Xion's the one with black hair... What happened to her?"

Xemnas coughed, a good sign he didn't know.

Xehanort nodded to Xemnas and the two took a long last look at the women. It was as if they were trying to burn their images into their brains so they wouldn't forget them. They turned and waded out into the water, first knee deep, then chest deep, and then were completely submerged.

Kiseki sniffed, "So what does it mean? To be complete again?"

"We're not going to be sisters anymore," Xistum sighed, "We're going to be one person now, like it was supposed to be."

"What do you think caused _us_ to happen?" Kiseki's face twisted into a thoughtful stare.

"Well, I guess something happened…" Xistum racked her brain for any reason. "Maybe it's because we never had a dad around…"

"I think we did…" Kiseki's tone became more somber, "but he wasn't there after we were born."

Xistum held her sister's face up, "We didn't need him! Here we are, together, and that will _never_ change."

Kiseki's face lit up, "Come on, Kurai. Let's go home!"

Kiseki grabbed Xistum's hand and dragged her into the water. They should have been making some sort of splashing, but the light just swirled around them, taking them in.

Kiseki jumped and both of them submerged. The light was so intense that Xistum was blinded.

She could still hear though. She heard Xemnas being welcomed by the apprentices he used to work with. She heard Luxord exclaim, "I'm home!" She heard laughter and crying and everything in between.

She heard Demyx yell out, "Xissy! If you can hear me, this is for you!" Demyx began to sing the song she sung for him. One line stuck in Xistum's mind.

"_For I have been set free to live again."_

She knew the truth of those words. She had set them free. _She had been set free._

Xistum felt her sister's soft, warm hand in her hand. Nothing was going to tear them apart again. Xistum smiled at that thought, and for the first time ever, felt the happiness glow inside her.

* * *

A/N: And so ends the tale where the sinner is not the criminal and sin is human nature. This is where most normal people would say "And they lived happily ever after…" But I'm not really that normal, am I?

I really wanna pull a stunt like C.S. Lewis and kill everyone, but that's just a bit superfluous, no?

So, like the (albeit crazy) genius I am, this is where I end it. What happens next is up to _our_ imaginations (note the influence on the word _our_).

About the lack of updating on this, I've had some serious writer's block. –holds up voodoo doll that says 'Writer's Block' and… oh my! look at all the pins stuck in it!-- But I took care of it!

I spent some of this chapter tying up loose ends (i.e. Back in Chapter 1 Xemnas says "She's the one we need" And I explain that here) Yays for me!

The most fun part about this chapter was the return to the Dark Realm, because I never gave a lot of them lines at all, so this was their page and something claim to fame. I loved writing the fight seen, too. Especially Vexen's fog attack. (Insert maniacal laughter here) I'm pretty sure someone else came up with that, because it's too cool for me to have made myself!

There are pictures of Xion now somewhere out there on the interweb. Imagine Naminè with black hair and an Organization cloak and you've got a mental image of Xion.

What else… Ah-ha! The song that Xissy and Demyx end up singing is _Revolution _by Trading Yesterday (irony abound with that choice in song!). I thought it fit, in my own little twisted way.

Those of you who went and read my blog like I asked you to last chapter will know just what the heck I'm up to. Cookies to you all… don't worry! They're hypoallergenic…

Now on a more serious note, it's seriously going to break my heart when I have to change this from a work in-progress to complete… that is if I had any heart left… heh.

Now as my parting words: I'll read anything you want me to read. I'll review anything you want me to review. Now go leave a review (or send me a message… love getting messages for no reason other than to say hi)!

LUV's from Khaos

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

I'd first like to thank everyone who has read my story. Even if you enjoyed the time that was wasted as you read, my purpose has been fulfilled.

To the kids who left only one or two reviews: Wished you'd reviewed more. I'm like Xistum in the sense that if I don't know what you're thinking, I kinda go insane (Kinda?).

To DevilDoom: It made me smile when you thought I was leaving permanently. It's nice to know that I would be missed. (To Xinbar: Play nice with Xissy now!)

To Z E X I O N H E A R T: Thanks for crossing over to the dark side! And yes, I'll remember to floss (Everyone else: DON'T ASK!!).

To Vixanne: If it wasn't for your reviews on the teaser fic (that's been deleted as of now. We got the story, don't need a teaser anymore :3) I would have let this fic die and just kept writing my usually insane stuff. Thanks for giving me the will to push myself out of my element.

To Tim Fortune: Thanks for everything from your biggest fan.

To SoraSaru, Norx, and anyone else who knows the one on the other side of the "looking glass" before you: Yeah… apologies shall be given as needed. Look on the bright side: you didn't have to read all of this in my horrific handwriting! :3 –runs away-

* * *

The End… Really… you can go home now….


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